Three　morphologies　of　Bi-modified　titanate　nanomaterials　(Bi-TNM)　were　prepared　using　the　hydrothermal　method　and　controlled　parameters　to　degrade　acetaminophen　(ACT).　ACT　is　a　high-consumption　drug　that　exists　widely　in　natural　waters　and　wastewaters.　The　prepared　samples　were　characterized　using　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　UV-visible　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy　(UV-vis　DRS),　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FT-IR),　and　zeta　potential　analyzers.　The　morphological　effect　of　Bi-TNM　on　the　visible　light-driven　catalytic　degradation　of　aqueous　ACT　was　carefully　investigated　using　bulk,　flake,　and　ribbon-shaped　titanate　catalysts.　The　photocatalytic　activity　of　the　prepared　catalysts　was　evaluated　based　on　the　effect　of　the　catalyst　morphology,　the　initial　concentration　of　ACT,　the　catalyst　dosage,　and　the　solution　pH.　The　optimal　photocatalytic　performance,　kinetics,　and　mechanism　of　the　Bi-TNM　for　the　degradation　of　ACT　were　achieved,　respectively.　The　results　show　that　the　Bi-TNM　photocatalyst　not　only　enhanced　the　visible　light　adsorption,　but　also　improved　the　efficiency　of　the　photoinduced　charge　transfer　with　a　high　efficiency　for　the　degradation　of　ACT.　The　photocatalytic　activity　of　the　Bi-TNM　nanoribbons　was　significantly　improved　under　visible　light　irradiation.　The　photocatalytic　activity　for　the　degradation　of　ACT　was　in　the　order　of　titanate　nanoribbons　(Bi-TNR)　＞　titanate　nano-bulks　(Bi-TNB)　＞　titanate　nanosheets　(Bi-TNS).　The　morphology　of　nanoribbon　has　a　good　photocatalytic　activity　for　the　degradation　of　ACT.　Furthermore,　no　inactivation　occurred　during　the　three　catalytic　reactions　and　Bi-TNR　exhibited　an　excellent　photocatalytic　stability.　Kinetic　studies　on　the　photocatalytic　degradation　of　ACT　under　visible　light　suggest　that　the　degradation　followed　pseudo-first-order　kinetics.　The　mechanism　study　showed　that　the　hole　in　Bi-TNR　was　mainly　involved　in　the　photodegradation　of　ACT.　The　present　study,　using　Bi-TNM,　provides　a　better　photocatalytic　degradation　route　in　comparison　with　pristine　titanate　for　wastewater　treatment　contaminated　with　ACT　and　other　persistent　organic　pollutants.　©　2018　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.