Photocatalysis　is　considered　to　be　a　clean,　green　and　efficient　method　to　purify　water.　In　this　report,　we　first　developed　a　highly　efficient　ultrafine　TiO2　nanorods/g-C3N4　nanosheets　(TiO2　NR/CN　NS)　composites　via　a　simple　hydrothermal　method.　Tiny　TiO2　nanorods　(diameter:　similar　to　1.5　nm　and　length:　similar　to　8.3　nm)　were　first　loaded　in　situ　on　the　CN　NS　by　adding　graphitic　carbon　nitride　(g-C3N4)　to　the　reaction　solution.　The　TiO2　NR/CN　NS　composites　present　high　charge　separation　efficiency　and　broader　light　absorbance　than　P25　TiO2.　Furthermore,　we　illustrate　that　the　TiO2　NR/CN　NS　catalyst　possesses　high　performance　for　the　photocatalytic　degradation　of　the　common　and　stubborn　pollutants　in　water,　such　as　the　rhodamine　B　(RhB)　dye　and　phenol.　Under　visible　light　(lambda　＞　420　nm)　irradiation,　the　apparent　rate　of　the　TiO2　NR/CN　NR　is　172　and　41　times　higher　than　that　of　the　P25　TiO2　and　TiO2　NR,　respectively.　Additionally,　we　speculated　that　the　heterojunction　formed　between　TiO2　NR　and　CN　NS,　which　is　the　basis　for　the　experiments　we　have　designed　and　the　corresponding　results.　We　demonstrated　that　reactive　oxidative　species　such　as　superoxide　anion　radical　and　holes　play　critical　roles　in　the　degradation,　and　the　hydroxyl　radical　contributes　nothing　to　the　degradation.　(C)　2018　Science　China　Press.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　and　Science　China　Press.　All　rights　reserved.