La(III)-doped ZnO/C nanofibers with core-shell structure were prepared by calcination of electrospun PAN(polyacrylonitrile)/La(NO3)(3)/Zn(Ac)(2) composite nanofibers and characterized by XRD, FESEM, (HR)TEM, and EDS respectively. The photocatalytic activity of La(III)-doped ZnO/C nanofibers in the decomposition of RhB under UV-lamp light irradiation was also investigated. The results show that the prepared composite fibers possess a rough surface and flower-like morphology with diameters from 50 to 100 nm and exhibit high photocatalytic activity in the decomposition of RhB solution. It is also found that the La(III) doping concentration plays an important role in photocatalytic performance during the degradation reaction of RhB. 2% La(III) is suggested to be the optimum doping dosage. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.