A new AgSCN photocatalytic material with a novel nonmetal acid structure was synthesized by an ion-exchange method. Its structure and properties were characterized in detail. UV-vis absorption spectrum showed that AgSCN had the optical indirect band gap of 3.51 eV. The valence level of AgSCN was determined as 1.52 eV by X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. The photodegradation efficiency of rhodamine B over AgSCN was 2.74 times that of N-doped TiO2 (N-TiO2) under UV light radiation. The photodegradation rate constant was 4.8 times that of N-TiO2. The high photocatalytic activity mainly resulted from SCN- and the high position of valence band. (OH)-O-center dot radicals, as the dominant active species in photocatalysis, primarily originated from the multi-step reduction of O-2 by photogenerated electron. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.