Zn-doped TiO2 catalysts were prepared using a sol-gel method and characterized by XPS,UV-Vis, BET,XRD in this study. Under the irradiation of simulant sunlight, the photocatalytic activity for the degradation of p-nitrophenol was studied too. After irradiation for 2.5 h, the degradation percentage of p-nitrophenol could rise to more than 80 %. The results showed that the spectrum absorption band edge of Zn/TiO2 powder does not broaden obviously comparing with pure TiO2 powder. Zinc exists as Zn (Ⅱ). When calcined at 973 K, there is a new phase as ZnTiO3 in Zn/TiO2 catalyst. The order of photocatalytic activity of Zn/TiO2 catalysts calcined at different temperatures for p-nitrophenol is 773 K ＞ 673 K ＞ 873 K ＞ 573 K ＞ 973 K and the photocatalytic activity of Zn/TiO2 catalyst calcined at 773 K is better than TiO2 catalysts heated at the same temperature, and outclasses that of commercial TiO2catalyst. It also showed that the photocatalytie degradation of p-nitrophenol follows first-order kinetics under the irradiation of simulant sunlight.