A novel visible-light-driven AgI/BiPO4 composite was synthesized by a facile room temperature deposition-precipitation method. The structures, morphologies, components and optical properties of the obtained samples were systematically characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area. The loading of AgI nanoparticles endowed BiPO4 with good visible light absorption and excellent visible light photocatalytic activity for degrading rhodamine B. The k(app) value of AgI/BiPO4 for degrading rhodamine B was 0.044 min(-1), which was three times that of pure AgI. Besides, AgI/BiPO4 maintained good stability in the recycling process. The outstanding photocatalytic activity could be mainly attributed to the fast separation of electron-hole pairs, ensured by the enhanced photocurrent intensity, by using BiPO4 as a highly efficient electron trap. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.