Niobium　oxide　nanowire-deposited　carbon　fiber　(CF)　samples　were　prepared　using　a　hydrothermal　method　with　amorphous　Nb2O5.nH(2)O　as　precursor.　The　physical　properties　of　the　samples　were　characterized　by　means　of　numerous　techniques,　including　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　energy-dispersive　spectroscopy　(EDS),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　selected-area　electron　diffraction　(SAED),　UV-visible　spectroscopy　(UV-vis),　N-2　adsorption-desorption,　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FT-IR),　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy.　The　efficiency　for　the　removal　of　Cr(VI)　was　determined.　Parameters　such　as　pH　value　and　initial　Cr(VI)　concentration　could　influence　the　Cr(VI)　removal　efficiency　or　adsorption　capacity　of　the　Nb2O5/carbon　fiber　sample　obtained　after　hydrothermal　treatment　at　160　degrees　C　for　14　hr.　The　maximal　Cr(VI)　adsorption　capacity　of　the　Nb2O5　nanowire/CF　sample　was　115　mg/g.　This　Nb2O5/CF　sample　also　showed　excellent　photocatalytic　activity　and　stability　for　the　reduction　of　Cr(VI)　under　UV-light　irradiation:　the　Cr(VI)　removal　efficiency　reached　99.9%　after　UV-light　irradiation　for　1　hr　and　there　was　no　significant　decrease　in　photocatalytic　performance　after　the　use　of　the　sample　for　10　repeated　cycles.　Such　excellent　Cr(VI)　adsorption　capacity　and　photocatalytic　performance　was　related　to　its　high　surface　area,　abundant　surface　hydroxyl　groups,　and　good　UV-light　absorption　ability.　(C)　2017　The　Research　Center　for　Eco-Environmental　Sciences,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.