A　new　Bi6Ti3WO18　(BTW)　photocatalyst　has　been　prepared　by　a　pechini-type　glacial　acetic　acid　complex　method.　The　photocatalytic　activities　of　the　samples　were　evaluated　by　the　degradation　of　rhodamine　B　under　visible　light　irradiation.　Results　indicated　that　BTW　samples　showed　the　high　photocatalytic　performances.　It　was　found　that　the　optimal　BTW　was　obtained　at　600　°C.　Notably,　the　samples　prepared　by　our　method　exhibited　a　superior　photocatalytic　activity　compared　with　the　counterpart　prepared　by　a　solid　state　reaction.　Furthermore,　the　morphologies,　the　photoabsorption　performances　and　the　photoelectrochemical　features　of　the　samples　have　been　investigated　to　clarify　the　reasons　for　the　differences　of　the　photocatalytic　activities　between　these　two　samples.　The　active　species　in　the　photocatalytic　reaction　process　were　also　detected.　Finally,　a　probable　photocatalytic　mechanism　of　the　photodegradation　of　RhB　has　been　proposed.　©　2017　Elsevier　B.V.