Nanosized　Zn2SnO4　(ZTO)　particles　were　successfully　synthesized　by　a　simple　hydrothermal　process　in　water/ethylene　glycol　mixed　Solution　using　amines　(ethylamine,　n-butylamine,　n-hexylamine,　and　n-octylamine)　as　mineralizer.　The　products　were　characterized　by　X-ray　diffractions　(XRD),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　and　N-2　adsorption.　The　results　indicated　that　the　hydrothermal　conditions,　such　as　alkaline　concentration　(n-butylamine),　reaction　temperature,　solvent　composition,　and　the　kind　of　amines,　had　an　important　influence　on　the　composition,　crystallinity,　and　morphology　of　the　product.　The　as-synthesized　ZTO　samples　exhibited　high　activities　and　durabilities　for　photodegradation　of　methyl　orange　and　the　activities　were　mainly　affected　by　the　crystallinities　of　the　samples.　A　hexagonal-shaped　ZTO　(H-ZTO)　sample　was　prepared　in　0.53　M　of　n-butylamine　solution　at　180　C　for　20　h　and　its　optical　properties　were　characterized　by　UV-Vis　diffuse　reflectance　and　Photoluminescence　(PL)　spectra.　Furthermore,　the　photocatalytic　H:,　evolution　reaction　from　ethanol　aqueous　solution　over　H-ZTO　was　also　investigated.　Crown　Copyright　(C)　2008　Published　by　Elsevier　Inc.　All　rights　reserved.