Novel　visible-light-driven　plasmonic　photocatalyst　Au/TiO　2　nanosheets　with　a　high　percentage　of　exposed　{001}　facets　were　fabricated　by　hydrothermal　treatment　of　tetrabutyl　titanate　and　hydrofluoric　acid,　followed　by　the　polyol　reduction　process　(denoted　by　Au/TiO　2-001).　The　prepared　samples　were　characterized　by　transmission　electron　microscopy,　X-ray　diffraction,　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy,　N　2-sorption,　UV-vis　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy,　and　photoluminescence　spectra.　The　variations　of　photoelectric　response　after　depositing　Au　nanoparticles　(NPs)　on　TiO　2-001　nanosheets　were　investigated　by　the　photoelectrochemical　experiment.　The　results　display　that　the　Au　NPs　with　average　diameter　of　ca.　5nm　were　deposited　on　(001)　facet　of　TiO　2　nanosheets　in　the　form　of　metallic　state.　The　samples　exhibited　a　strong　absorption　in　the　visible　light　region　due　to　the　surface　plasmon　resonance　(SPR)　effect　of　Au　NPs.　For　the　photocatalytic　degradation　of　rhodamine　B　(RhB)　in　aqueous　solution,　the　Au/TiO　2-001　showed　superior　photocatalytic　activities　compared　with　bare　TiO　2-001　and　other　Au　deposited　photocatalysts,　such　as　Au/P25　(Degussa　TiO　2),　Au/anatase　TiO　2,　and　Au/rutile　TiO　2.　The　enhanced　photocatalytic　activities　can　be　explained　by　its　unique　morphology,　larger　surface　area,　and　smaller　crystallite.　Meanwhile,　TiO　2　dominated　{001}　facets　with　higher　electron　mobility　and　better　adsorption　of　pollutant　molecule　may　be　another　reason　for　the　higher　photocatalytic　activity.　In　addition,　the　Au　NPs　are　believed　to　play　an　essential　role　in　enhancing　the　photoreactivity　because　they　are　able　to　generate　photoelectrons　and　enhance　the　visible　light　absorption　intensity.　The　effects　of　the　Au　content,　the　calcination　temperature　of　TiO　2-001,　the　supporter,　and　the　reaction　atmosphere　on　photocatalytic　activities　were　investigated　in　detail.　The　decomposition　mechanism　of　RhB　over　Au/TiO　2-001　under　visible　light　irradiation　and　the　active　species　in　the　photocatalytic　process　had　also　been　discussed.　It　is　hoped　that　our　work　could　render　guided　information　for　steering　toward　the　design　and　application　of　noble　metal/semiconductor　nanocompositions　with　high　visible-light　photocatalytic　activity.　©　2012　Elsevier　B.V.