Comparing with BiOX (X= Cl, Br, I), BixOyXz as the newest bismuth-based photocatalysts have more appropriate conduction band position. And so, they can be used to active molecular oxygen. In this paper, Bi5O(7)Br, a new BixOzXz semiconductor photocatalyst was firstly synthesized by via hydromel method. It was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible diffused reflectance spectra (DRS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and the corresponding selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern. It can be found that the crystal structure and morphology are same with Bi5O7I. The size of a single rod is about 2 mu m in width and 50 mu m in length. As-synthesized Bi(5)o(7)Br can effectively activate molecular oxygen to generate superoxide radical (O-2(center dot-)) and hydroxyl radical ((OH)-O-center dot) under UV-vis light irradiation. And it also showed high photocatalytic activity than BiOBr for the degradation of dyes. Thus, it can be seen, the appearance of Bi5O7Br photocatalysis enriched the bismuth-rich strategy of Bi-O-X photocatalysts. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.