Orthorhombic　Bi2SiO5　nanosheets　with　thicknesses　of　10-20　nm　were　first　synthesized　by　a　template-free　hydrothermal　synthesis　process　using　Bi(NO3)(3)　and　different　Si　sources　as　raw　materials.　The　as-prepared　samples　were　characterized　by　X-ray　diffraction,　Brunauer-Emmett-Teller　(BET)　surface　area　analysis,　UV-vis　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy,　scanning　electron　microscopy,　high-resolution　transmission　electron　microscopy,　and　a　photoluminescence　technique　with　terephthalic　acid.　The　results　showed　that　different　precursors　led　to　samples　with　different　morphologies,　particle　sizes,　and　BET　surface　areas,　As　a　novel　photocatalyst,　the　photocatalytic　performances　of　Bi2SiO5　samples　were　evaluated　by　the　photocatalytic　degradation　of　salicylic　acid　and　gaseous　benzene.　The　results　revealed　that　the　sample　obtained　from　Na2SiO3　as　a　precursor　exhibited　higher　activity　than　that　from　(C2H5O)(4)Si　due　to　its　biscuit-like　morphology,　a　smaller　particle　size,　and　a　higher　BET　surface　areas.