In this paper, Fe2O3/Bi2O3 composites were fabricated through a pore impregnating method and characterized by BET surface area, X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The separation efficiency of photogenerated charges was investigated using benzoquinone (BQ) as scavenger. The composite materials exhibit higher photocatalytic performance toward decolorization of methyl orange (MO) aqueous solution than pure Bi2O3 under both ultraviolet light and simulated solar light irradiation. The relationship between Fe2O3 loading and the photocatalytic performance was discussed and the optimization of the Fe2O3/Bi2O3 composites was obtained. The enhanced mechanism was also discussed. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.