Display omitted •Synthesis of highly efficient photocatalysts Ce doped ZnO nanorods was achieved.•Polyamines triethylenetetraamine as the cross-linking agents was used.•The samples were evaluated by the determination of their photonic efficiencies.•All Ce doped samples exhibited superior photocatalytic activity than UV-100.•0.5% Ce doped ZnO nanorods exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity. Here we successfully report the synthesis of highly efficient Ce doped ZnO nanorods photocatalysts under mild hydrothermal conditions utilizing polyamines triethylenetetraamine (TETA) as the cross-linking agents for the first time. The XRD patterns demonstrate that the ZnO nanorods are highly crystalline and Ce ions were successfully incorporated into the lattice position of ZnO. Presence of Ce3+, Ce4+ and Zn2+ ions cerium doped ZnO nanorods has been confirmed by XPS analysis. SEM images show that with increasing Ce doping, very thin fluffy or porous like structures on smooth ZnO nanorods were appeared. The lattice spacing between the adjacent lattice planes in the HRTEM images is measured to be approximately 0.52nm, confirming the ZnO nanorod grows along 0001 direction. Optical characterizations indicate that the Ce doping can shift the absorption edge of ZnO to the visible range and reduce the band gap. The prepared photocatalysts have been compared with commercial photocatalysts Hombikat UV-100 by the determination of their photonic efficiencies for degradation methylene blue. All Ce doped samples exhibited superior photocatalytic performance than either pure ZnO nanorods or Hombikat UV-100. 0.5% Ce doped ZnO exhibits highest photocatalytic activity among the prepared samples.