Plasmonic　photocatalysts　Ag/AgBr　composites　were　synthesized　by　a　facile　one-step　solvothermal　route.　Unlike　the　traditional　photoreduction　method,　metallic　Ag　in　the　present　work　was　in　situ　anchored　on　the　surface　of　AgBr　by　reducing　radicals　created　through　the　thermal　process.　The　structures　(e.g.,　particle　size,　composition,　and　dispersion)　of　metallic　Ag　nanoparticles　could　be　well　controlled　by　simply　changing　the　reaction　temperature　and　solvent.　The　as-prepared　composites　were　characterized　by　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS),　and　diffuse　reflectance　spectra　(DRS).　The　as-prepared　Ag/AgBr　composites　exhibited　excellent　photocatalytic　efficiency　for　the　degradation　of　azo　dye　methyl　orange　(MO),　phenol,　and　2-chlorophenol　under　visible　light　irradiation.　It　was　found　that　the　activity　was　highly　dependent　on　the　particle　size,　composition　and　the　dispersing　extent　of　Ag　nanoparticles.　The　photocatalytic　mechanism　was　studied　by　radical-trapping　experiments　and　the　photoluminescence　(PL)　technique　with　terephthalic　acid,　and　the　results　indicated　that　O2-　and　h+　played　great　roles　in　the　rapid　degradation　of　organic　pollutants　under　visible　light　irradiation.　©　2013　Elsevier　B.V.