Zn2GeO4　nanobelts　modified　by　CdS　quantum　dots　(Zn2GeO4/CdS)　were　prepared　successfully　by　chemical　bath　deposition.　The　novel　photocatalyst　was　characterized　by　X-ray　diffraction,　scanning　electron　microscopy,　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　and　UV-Vis　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy.　It　was　found　that　Zn2GeO4/CdS　consisted　of　uniform　rhombohedral　phase　Zn2GeO4　nanobelts　with　highly　dispersed　cubic　phase　CdS　quantum　dots,　and　the　Zn2GeO4/CdS　exhibited　strong　visible　light　absorption　at　about　510　nm.　The　photocatalytic　activities　of　the　catalysts　were　evaluated　by　the　discoloration　of　Rhodamine　B　under　visible　light　illumination　and　were　compared　with　that　of　pure　Zn2GeO4　nanobelts.　The　results　suggested　that　the　composite　photocatalyst　had　much　higher　photocatalytic　activities　than　pure　Zn2GeO4　nanobelts　under　irradiation　of　visible　light.　Meanwhile,　no　obvious　deactivation　of　Zn2GeO4/CdS　was　observed　after　the　three　recycles　experiments　in　photodegradation　of　RhB.　The　possible　mechanism　of　visible　light　photocatalytic　degradation　is　also　proposed.　(C)　2012　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.