Metal-semiconductor　based　Mott-Schottky　(M-S)　heterojunctions　combining　two　or　more　functionalities　in　one　unit　can　effectively　improve　their　catalytic　activity　and　durability　due　to　the　electronic　coupling　effects　between　distinct　components.　Although　tremendous　progress　has　been　made　in　structure　fabrication,　controllable　synthesis　of　one-dimensional　(1D)　M-S　heterojunction　and　its　application　as　electrocatalysts　is　still　lacking.　Herein,　uniform　and　well-defined　1D　Ni3S4-PtCo　heteronanorods　are　synthesized　via　a　facile　solution　method　and　employed　as　counter　electrode　(CE)　catalyst　in　the　dye-sensitized　solar　cells　(DSSCs).　By　exploiting　the　benefits　of　both　structural　and　compositional　characteristics,　namely,　the　direct　electrical　pathways　of　1D　nanostructure,　optimized　work　function　of　metal　alloy　as　well　as　the　synergistic　effect　between　Ni3S4　and　PtCo,　the　as-designed　Ni3S4-PtCo　heteronanorods　exhibit　excellent　catalytic　activity　and　stability　toward　the　reduction　of　triiodide　in　DSSCs.　A　DSSC　with　Ni3S4-PtCo　achieves　a　high　power　conversion　efficiency　of　8.66%　under　AM1.5G　illumination　(100　mW　cm　(2)),　higher　than　that　of　pristine　Pt-based　device　(8.12%).　Moreover,　the　fast　activity　onset　and　relatively　long　stability　further　demonstrate　that　the　Ni3S4-PtCo　heteronanorod　is　a　promising　alternative　to　Pt　in　DSSCs.　Considering　the　diversity　of　structures　and　components　in　heterostructures,　the　strategy　presented　here　can　be　extended　for　synthesizing　other　well-defined　1D　MS　heterojunctions,　which　may　be　used　in　the　fields　of　catalysis,　energy　conversion　and　storage.　(C)　2017　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.