Hierarchical　SnO2/TiO2　composite　hollow　microspheres　were　synthesized　via　one-step　hydrothermal　route　by　using　titanium　tetrabutoxide　as　titanium　source　and　potassium　stannate　and　tripolycyanamide　as　co-additive,　and　the　samples　were　characterized　by　XRD,　BET,　SEM　and　TEM　measurements.　The　results　denoted　that　the　synthesized　microspheres　with　a　diameter　of　ca　500–1000　nm　were　assembled　by　thin　nanosheets　and　possessed　a　large　surface　area　of　199.3　m2　g−1.　In　addition,　EDX　and　element　mapping　measurements　indicated　that　a　small　amount　of　SnO2　nanoparticles　uniformly　distributed　among　the　nanosheets　of　microspheres.　The　hierarchical　microspheres　simultaneously　facilitated　dye　adsorption,　light　harvesting,　and　electron　transport,　giving　rise　to　a　high　photovoltaic　conversion　efficiency　of　8.70%　when　applied　as　scattering　layer　for　dye-sensitized　solar　cells,　which　was　a　28.1%　improvement　compared　to　that　of　bare　nanocrystalline　TiO2　(6.79%,　Dyesol)　based　cell.　©　2018　Elsevier　Ltd