AgIO₃ as a novel photocatalyst was prepared via a facile hydrothermal route. The microstructure, electronic structure, optical and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of AgIO₃ were investigated by a series of experimental and theoretical methods, including X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution TEM (HRTEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements and the first principle calculation. The results revealed that AgIO₃ exhibits a strong SHG response and excellent photocatalytic performance with high stability under both UV and visible light irradiation. The advantages of this material, such as large polarizability resulted from the NCS structure, polar IO₃^- anion and layered structure should be responsible for the high photocatalytic activity of AgIO₃. The present work may shed new light on the design of multifunctinal materials. 

Solid State Sciences, 2015