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Chinese Journal of Catalysis
2019, Vol. 40, No. 6
Online: 18 June 2019


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Kai Yang and coworkers reviewed the progress in efficient photocatalysis of hetero/homogeneous phase junctions by taking phase transition construction as an example. The in-situ preparation methods for constructing junctions and the formation of "junctions" during phase transition are presented in the picture. See pages 796–818.

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Table of Contents for VOL.40 No.6 2019, 40 (6):  0-0.  Abstract ( 102 )   PDF (1926KB) ( 272 )

Special Column on the 11^th National Conference on Environmental Catalysis and Eco-Materia

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Preface to Special Column on the 11th National Conference on Environmental Catalysis and Eco-Materials (11th NCECM 2018) Zhen Zhao 2019, 40 (6):  795-795.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63373-5 Abstract ( 183 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (157KB) ( 252 )

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Review on heterophase/homophase junctions for efficient photocatalysis:The case of phase transition construction Kai Yang, Xiaoxiao Li, Changlin Yu, Debin Zeng, Fanyun Chen, Kailian Zhang, Weiya Huang, Hongbing Ji 2019, 40 (6):  796-818.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63290-0 Abstract ( 513 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (5714KB) ( 1198 )   Semiconductor photocatalysts are extensively applied in environmental treatment and energy conversion. However, one of their major disadvantages is their relatively low photocatalytic performance owing to the recombination of generated electron-hole pairs. The presence of the phase junction is an effective way to promote the photocatalytic activity by increasing the separation efficiency of the electron-hole pairs. Accordingly, extensive research has been conducted on the design of phase junctions of photocatalysts to improve their charge transfer properties and efficiencies. Therefore, for the design of an appropriate phase junction and the understanding of the mechanism of electron-hole separation, the development of the photocatalytic phase junction, including the preparation methods of the heterogeneous materials, is tremendously important and helpful. Herein, the commonly used, externally induced phase transformation fabrication techniques and the primary components of the semiconductors are reviewed. Future directions will still focus on the design and optimization of the phase junction of photocatalytic materials according to the phase transition with higher efficiencies for broadband responses and solar energy utilization. Additionally, the most popular phase transformation fabrication techniques of phase junctions are briefly reviewed from the application viewpoint.

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Electronic interaction between single Pt atom and vacancies on boron nitride nanosheets and its influence on the catalytic performance in the direct dehydrogenation of propane Xiaoying Sun, Meijun Liu, Yaoyao Huang, Bo Li, Zhen Zhao 2019, 40 (6):  819-825.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(18)63196-1 Abstract ( 289 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (529KB) ( 860 )   Supporting Information The electronic metal-support interaction (EMSI) is one of most intriguing phenomena in heterogeneous catalysis. In this work, this subtle effect is clearly demonstrated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations of single Pt atom supported on vacancies in a boron nitride nanosheet. Moreover, the relation between the EMSI and the performance of Pt in propane direct dehydrogenation (PDH) is investigated in detail. The charge state and partial density of states of single Pt atom show distinct features at different anchoring positions, such as boron and nitrogen vacancies (Bvac and Nvac, respectively). Single Pt atom become positively and negatively charged on Bvac and Nvac, respectively. Therefore, the electronic structure of Pt can be adjusted by rational deposition on the support. Moreover, Pt atoms in different charge states have been shown to have different catalytic abilities in PDH. The DFT calculations reveal that Pt atoms on Bvac (Pt-Bvac) have much higher reactivity towards reactant/product adsorption and C-H bond activation than Pt supported on Nvac (Pt-Nvac), with larger adsorption energy and lower barrier along the reaction pathway. However, the high reactivity of Pt-Bvac also hinders propene desorption, which could lead to unwanted deep dehydrogenation. Therefore, the results obtained herein suggest that a balanced reactivity for C-H activation in propane and propene desorption is required to achieve optimum yields. Based on this descriptor, a single Pt atom on a nitrogen vacancy is considered an effective catalyst for PDH. Furthermore, the deep dehydrogenation of the formed propene is significantly suppressed, owing to the large barrier on Pt-Nvac. The current work demonstrates that the catalytic properties of supported single Pt atoms can be tuned by rationally depositing them on a boron nitride nanosheet and highlights the great potential of single-atom catalysis in the PDH reaction.

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Synergistic integration of metallic Bi and defects on BiOI:Enhanced photocatalytic NO removal and conversion pathway Minglu Sun, Wendong Zhang, Yanjuan Sun, Yuxin Zhang, Fan Dong 2019, 40 (6):  826-836.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(18)63195-X Abstract ( 167 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (1424KB) ( 756 )   Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of metals may provide a way to improve light absorption and utilization of semiconductors, achieving better solar light conversion and photocatalysis efficiency. This study uses the advantages of SPR in metallic Bi and artificial defects to cooperatively enhance the photocatalytic performance of BiOI. The catalysts were prepared by partial reduction of BiOI to form Bi@defective BiOI, which showed highly enhanced visible photocatalytic activity for NOx removal. The effects of reductant quantity on the photocatalytic performance of Bi@defective BiOI were investigated. The as-prepared photocatalyst (Bi/BiOI-2) using 2 mmol of reductant NaBH4 showed the most efficient visible light photocatalytic activity. This enhanced activity can be ascribed to the synergistic effects of metallic Bi and oxygen vacancies. The electrons from the valence band tend to accumulate at vacancy states; therefore, the increased charge density would cause the adsorbed oxygen to transform more easily into superoxide radicals and, further, into hydroxyl radicals. These radicals are the main active species that oxidize NO into final products. The SPR effect of elemental Bi enables the improvement of visible light absorption efficiency and the promotion of charge carrier separation, which are crucial factors in boosting photocatalysis. NO adsorption and reaction processes on Bi/BiOI-2 were dynamically monitored by in situ infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The Bi/BiOI photocatalysis mechanism co-mediated by elemental Bi and oxygen vacancies was proposed based on the analysis of intermediate products and DFT calculations. This present work could provide new insights into the design of high-performance photocatalysts and understanding of the photocatalysis reaction mechanism for air-purification applications.

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AgAuPd/meso-Co3O4:High-performance catalysts for methanol oxidation Jun Yang, Yuxi Liu, Jiguang Deng, Xingtian Zhao, Kunfeng Zhang, Zhuo Han, Hongxing Dai 2019, 40 (6):  837-848.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(18)63205-X Abstract ( 125 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (2420KB) ( 623 )   The meso-Co3O4 and AgxAuyPd/meso-Co3O4 catalysts were prepared using the KIT-6-templating and polyvinyl alcohol-protected NaBH4 reduction methods, respectively. Various techniques were used to characterize physicochemical properties of these materials. Catalytic performance of the samples was evaluated for methanol combustion. The cubically crystallized Co3O4 support displayed a three-dimensionally ordered mesoporous structure. The supported noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) possessed a surface area of 115-125 m2/g, with the noble NPs (average size=2.8-4.5 nm) being uniformly dispersed on the surface of meso-Co3O4. Among all of the samples, 0.68 wt% Ag0.75Au1.14Pd/meso-Co3O4 showed the highest catalytic activity (T50%=100℃ and T90% =112℃ at a space velocity of 80000 mL (g-1 h-1). The partial deactivation of the 0.68 wt% Ag0.75Au1.14Pd/meso-Co3O4 sample due to water vapor or carbon dioxide introduction was reversible. It is concluded that the good catalytic performance of 0.68 wt% Ag0.75Au1.14Pd/meso-Co3O4 was associated with its highly dispersed Ag0.75Au1.14Pd alloy NPs, high adsorbed oxygen species concentration, good low-temperature reducibility, and strong interaction between Ag0.75Au1.14Pd alloy NPs and meso-Co3O4.

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Selective catalytic reduction of NOx by H2 over Pd/TiO2 catalyst Yiyang Zhang, Hui Zeng, Bin Jia, Zhihua Wang, Zhiming Liu 2019, 40 (6):  849-855.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63297-3 Abstract ( 162 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (853KB) ( 491 )   Supporting Information Pd/TiO2 catalysts prepared by three different methods (impregnation, deposition-precipitation, and polyethylene glycol reduction) were investigated in the selective catalytic reduction of NOx by H2 (H2-SCR). It was found that the preparation method exerted a significant effect on the activity of the Pd/TiO2 catalyst, and that the catalyst prepared by the polyethylene glycol reduction method exhibited the highest activity in the reduction of NOx. Characterization of the catalyst showed that, in the Pd/TiO2 catalyst prepared by the polyethylene glycol reduction method, the existing Pd species was Pd0, which is the desirable species for the H2-SCR of NOx. In situ DRIFTS studies demonstrated that over this catalyst, more chelating nitrite and monodentate nitrite species formed, both of which are reactive intermediates in the H2-SCR of NOx. All of these factors account for the high activity of Pd/TiO2 prepared by the polyethylene glycol reduction method.

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Cooperative structure-directing effect of choline cation and *BEA zeolite in the synthesis of aluminogermanosilicate IWR zeolite Wenhua Fu, Zhiqing Yuan, Shaoqing Jin, Wei Liu, Zhendong Wang, Chuanming Wang, Yangdong Wang, Weimin Yang, Ming-Yuan He 2019, 40 (6):  856-866.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63324-3 Abstract ( 205 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (1145KB) ( 477 )   In this contribution, we report the cooperative structure-directing effect of choline hydroxide and aluminosilicate *BEA zeolite in the synthesis of aluminogermanosilicate IWR zeolites for the first time. *BEA zeolites, at variance with any other aluminosilicate zeolites, can serve as heterogeneous seeds for the growth of IWR zeolites and play a cooperative structure-directing role. The crystallization process was investigated using multiple techniques to characterize a series of solid products obtained with various crystallization times. The experiments clearly showed the dissolution of the *BEA zeolite and of an intermediate CDO-type structure. A plausible mechanism for the novel cooperative synthesis has been proposed. The crystallization of the IWR zeolite involves several steps, among which the crucial one is believed to be the reassembly of the building units produced from the decomposition of *BEA zeolite seeds, induced by choline molecules. Having similar structure and common building units (four-, five-, and six-membered rings) with the IWR zeolite, the *BEA zeolite is capable of promoting the reassembly of the building units and can thus play a cooperative structure-directing role. By highlighting the cooperative structure-directing effect of organic molecules and heterogeneous seeds, this study opens up new perspectives for the synthesis of target zeolites that are difficult to prepare by traditional methods. This new synthetic route is also expected to shed light on the discovery of novel zeolites.

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Ni-P cluster modified carbon nitride toward efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production Yajie Wang, Yao Li, Shaowen Cao, Jiaguo Yu 2019, 40 (6):  867-874.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63343-7 Abstract ( 156 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (657KB) ( 577 )   Exploring low-cost cocatalyst to take over noble metal cocatalyst is still challenging in the field of photocatalytic proton reduction. Herein, Ni-P alloy clusters are anchored onto the surface of polymeric carbon nitride through a chemical plating method and serve as highly efficient and stable cocatalyst toward photocatalytic proton reduction. An effective role in promoting the charge separation and migration of the photocatalytic system is demonstrated for Ni-P clusters, which essentially enhance the photocatalytic H2-production rate to a value of 1506 μmol h-1 g-1. This performance is comparable to that of the benchmark of Pt-modified carbon nitride. This work highlights that the Ni-P alloy could be a potential alternative to noble metal cocatalyst in the photocatalytic reactions.

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Enhanced photocatalytic performance of polymeric C3N4 doped with theobromine composed of an imidazole ring and a pyrimidine ring Zehao Li, Qian Yang, Chengcheng Chen, Zhengguo Zhang, Xiaoming Fang 2019, 40 (6):  875-885.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63337-1 Abstract ( 216 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (986KB) ( 468 )   Molecular doping has been proven to be an effective approach to adjusting the electronic structure of polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) and thus improving its optical properties and photocatalytic activity. Herein, theobromine, a compound composed of an imidazole ring and a pyrimidine ring, was first copolymerized with urea to prepared doped PCN. Experimental investigations and theoretical calculations indicate that, a narrowing in band gap and a positive shift in valence band positon happened to the theobromine doped PCN, owing to the synergistic effect between the pyrimidine ring and the imidazole ring in the theobromine molecule. Moreover, it is shown that the doping with theobromine at a suitable mass fraction makes the obtained sample exhibit decreased photoluminescent emission, enhanced photocurrent density, and reduced charge-transport resistance. Consequently, an enhancement in the photocatalytic activity for water oxidation is found for the sample, which oxygen evolution rate is 4.43 times higher than that of the undoped PCN. This work sheds light on the choice of the molecular dopants for PCN to improve its photocatalytic performance.

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Surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag nanoparticles for improving the photocatalytic performance of biochar quantum-dot/Bi4Ti3O12 nanosheets Tao Wang, Xiqing Liu, Qiuyue Men, Changchang Ma, Yang Liu, Wei Ma, Zhi Liu, Maobin Wei, Chunxiang Li, Yongsheng Yan 2019, 40 (6):  886-894.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63330-9 Abstract ( 118 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (1418KB) ( 556 )   Supporting Information Herein, we report a novel ternary material comprised of Ag nanoparticles and carbon quantum dots (CDs), which are co-loaded using 2D Bi4Ti3O12 (BIT) sheets. In this system, Ag can be applied as excited electron-hole pairs in the Bi4Ti3O12 by transferring the plasmonic energy from the metal to the semiconductor. The surface plasmon resonance of Ag can promote the electron transfer properties of the CDs, thereby improving the separation efficiency of the electron-hole pairs. Meanwhile, the CDs can act as an electron buffer to decrease the recombination rate of the electron hole. Moreover, CDs are prepared using a biomaterial, which can provide a chemical group to enhance the electron transfer and connection. The synergistic effects of CDs, Ag, and BIT enable the design of a photocatalytic application with a remarkably improved efficiency and operational stability.

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Spacial hindrance induced recovery of over-poisoned active acid sites in pyridine-modified H-mordenite for dimethyl ether carbonylation Na Zhao, Ye Tian, Lifu Zhang, Qingpeng Cheng, Shuaishuai Lyu, Tong Ding, Zhenpeng Hu, Xinbin Ma, Xingang Li 2019, 40 (6):  895-904.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63335-8 Abstract ( 133 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (771KB) ( 389 )   Supporting Information Zeolite catalysts, such as H-mordenite (H-MOR), are readily deactivated by coke deposition in carbonylation reactions. Pyridine modification of H-MOR can improve its stability but can lead to an undesirable loss in catalytic activity. Herein, we report the intrinsic impact of the pyridine adsorption behavior on H-MOR and the spacial hindrance of the zeolite frameworks on dimethyl ether (DME) carbonylation at a molecular level. We discovered that acid sites at O2 positions, located on common walls of eight-membered ring (8-MR) side pockets and 12-MR channels, were active in DME carbonylation, but were unfortunately poisoned during pyridine modification. Density functional theory calculations revealed that the pyridine-poisoned acid sites at the O2 positions could be easily regenerated due to the spacial hindrance of the zeolite frameworks. Accordingly, they can be facilely regenerated by proper thermal treatment, which induces 60% promotion in the catalytic activity along with a high stability. Our findings demonstrate the determining role of O2 positions in H-MOR for DME carbonylation and provide a new avenue for the rational design of other efficient zeolite-relevant catalytic systems.

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Tuning SnO2 surface with CuO for soot particulate combustion:The effect of monolayer dispersion capacity on reaction performance Jiating Shen, Xiaohui Feng, Rui Liu, Xianglan Xu, Cheng Rao, Jianjun Liu, Xiuzhong Fang, Chao Tan, Youchang Xie, Xiang Wang 2019, 40 (6):  905-916.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63354-1 Abstract ( 142 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (979KB) ( 435 )   With the objective to investigate the structure-reactivity relationship of CuO/SnO2 and eventually design more applicable catalysts for soot combustion, catalysts with different CuO loadings have been prepared by impregnation method. By using X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy extrapolation methods, it is disclosed that CuO disperses finely on the SnO2 support to form a monolayer with a capacity of 2.09 mmol 100 m?2, which equals 4.8 wt% CuO loading. When the CuO loading is below the capacity, it is in a sub-monolayer state. However, when the loading is above the capacity, CuO micro-crystallites will be formed that coexist with the CuO monolayer. The soot combustion activity of the catalyst increases with the CuO loading until it reaches the monolayer dispersion capacity. A further increase in the CuO loading has no evident influence on the activity. Raman results have testified that with the addition of CuO onto the SnO2 support, a surface-active oxygen species can be formed, the amount of which also increases significantly with the increase in the CuO loading until it reaches the monolayer dispersion capacity. Increasing the CuO loading further has no evident impact on the amount of surface oxygen. Therefore, an apparent monolayer dispersion threshold effect is observed for soot combustion over CuO/SnO2 catalysts. It is concluded that the amount of surface-active oxygen sites is the major factor determining the activity of the catalyst.

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Electrochemical oxidation of rhodamine B by PbO2/Sb-SnO2/TiO2 nanotube arrays electrode Jia Wu, Kai Zhu, Hao Xu, Wei Yan 2019, 40 (6):  917-927.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63342-5 Abstract ( 107 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (745KB) ( 446 )   Supporting Information A PbO2/Sb-SnO2/TiO2 nanotube array composite electrode was successfully synthesized and its electrochemical oxidation properties were investigated. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that the PbO2 coating was composed of an α-PbO2 inner layer and a β-PbO2 outer layer. Accelerated life measurement indicated that the composite electrode had a lifetime of 815 h. Rhodamine B (RhB) was employed as a model pollutant to analyze the electrocatalytic activity of the electrode. The effects of initial RhB concentration, current density, initial pH, temperature, and chloride ion concentration on the electrochemical oxidation were investigated in detail. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) results suggested that the concentration of leached Pb2+ in the electrolyte during the electrocatalytic oxidation process can be neglected. Finally, the degradation mechanism during the electrocatalytic oxidation process was proposed based on the results of solid-phase micro-extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS). The high electrocatalytic performance of the composite electrode makes it a promising anode for the treatment of organic pollutants in aqueous solution.

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Improved charge transfer by size-dependent plasmonic Au on C3N4 for efficient photocatalytic oxidation of RhB and CO2 reduction Xin Li, Chongyang Liu, Dongyao Wu, JinZe Li, Pengwei Huo, Huiqin Wang 2019, 40 (6):  928-939.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63347-4 Abstract ( 192 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (1214KB) ( 805 )   Supporting Information A series of Au/g-C3N4 (Au/CN) nanocomposites were successfully prepared, where g-C3N4 nanosheets (CN NSs) served as a substrate for the growth of different sized Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) using the constant temperature bath-reduction method. The effect of Au NP size on electron transfer efficiency between the interfaces of the nanocomposite was studied. The three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain results revealed that larger Au NPs showed increased strength of the localized surface plasmon resonance effect. An increased number of high-energy electrons were available for transfer from Au NPs to CN under the visible light irradiation, inhibiting electron transfer from CN to Au NPs. Photoelectrochemical performance analysis showed that smaller Au NPs exhibited higher separation efficiency of the electron-hole pairs photo-generated with reasonable distribution density. These results are favorable for the improvement of photocatalytic performance. Compared to other nanocomposites, the 3-Au/CN sample (prepared using 3 mL HAuCl4 solution) with reasonable distribution density and small Au NPs exhibited the best photodegradation activity (92.66%) of RhB in 30 min under the visible light irradiation and photoreduction performance of CO2 to CO and CH4 with yields of 77.5 and 38.5 μmol/g, respectively, in 8 h under UV light irradiation. Considering the experimental results in the context of the literature, a corresponding size-dependent photocatalytic mechanism was proposed.

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A facile one-pot hydrothermal synthesis as an efficient method to modulate the potassium content of cryptomelane and its effects on the redox and catalytic properties Huiyan Pan, Xiaowei Chen, Oihane Sanz, Miguel A. Cauqui, Jose M. Rodríguez-Izquierdo, Juan J. Delgado 2019, 40 (6):  940-952.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63339-5 Abstract ( 186 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (737KB) ( 348 )   Cryptomelane has been widely applied as catalyst in oxidation reactions due to its excellent redox properties and low cost. Here, a novel one-pot hydrothermal synthesis using a potassium permanganate aqueous solution as precursor and ethanol as reducing agent has successfully been developed to obtain cryptomelane nano-oxides. This synthetic route makes it possible to control the amount of potassium incorporated into the structure of the cryptomelane by selecting the appropriate synthesis temperature and ethanol initial concentration. Taking advantage of this approach, the effect of potassium concentration on the structural stability and reducibility of the cryptomelane, which are poorly discussed in the literature, has been studied. We have observed that samples with low content of potassium (~11%) show high conversions of CO to CO2 especially at low temperatures. The lower activity of the samples with high K contents (~16%) can be ascribed to the beneficial effect of K on the structural stability of cryptomelane in detriment of labile oxygen on cryptomelane surface.

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A novel dicobalt-substituted tungstoantimonate polyoxometalate:Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic water oxidation properties Qing Han, Di Sun, Junwei Zhao, Xiangming Liang, Yong Ding 2019, 40 (6):  953-958.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63358-9 Abstract ( 125 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (512KB) ( 340 )   Supporting Information The one-pot assembly reaction of a trilacunary, lone-pair-containing[B-α-SbW9O33]9- precursor with Co2+ ions in an aqueous medium led to the isolation of a novel {SbO3(H2O)3} bridging, dicobalt-substituted, sandwich-type tungstoantimonate {Co2Sb2(H2O)10[B-β-SbW9O33]2}4- (1a). This compound was structurally characterized in the solid state by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analyses, thermogravimetric analysis, and IR spectroscopy. The most remarkable feature was that 1a comprises two trilacunary[B-β-SbW9O33]9- fragments trapping a novel, centrally symmetric, rhomb-like {Co2Sb2} belt with 10 terminal water molecules. When combined with the photosensitizer [Ru(bpy)3]2+ and the sacrificial electron acceptor S2O82-, 1a exhibited efficient catalytic activity for water oxidation with a remarkable turnover number (TON) of 193, initial turnover frequency (TOFinitial) of 5.3 s-1, O2 yield of 30.8%, and quantum yield (ФQY) of 36.2% under light-driven conditions.

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CdS-modified one-dimensional g-C3N4 porous nanotubes for efficient visible-light photocatalytic conversion Ben Chong, Lei Chen, Dezhi Han, Liang Wang, Lijuan Feng, Qin Li, Chunhu Li, Wentai Wang 2019, 40 (6):  959-968.  DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(19)63355-3 Abstract ( 220 )   [Full Text(HTML)] () PDF (757KB) ( 621 )   A heterojunction photocatalyst based on porous tubular g-C3N4 decorated with CdS nanoparticles was fabricated by a facile hydrothermal co-deposition method. The one-dimensional porous structure of g-C3N4 provides a higher specific surface area, enhanced light absorption, and better separation and transport performance of charge carriers along the longitudinal direction, all of which synergistically contribute to the superior photocatalytic activity observed. The significantly enhanced catalytic efficiency is also a benefit originating from the fast transfer of photogenerated electrons and holes between g-C3N4 and CdS through a built-in electric field, which was confirmed by investigating the morphology, structure, optical properties, electrochemical properties, and photocatalytic activities. Photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction were also carried out to investigate its photocatalytic performance. RhB can be degraded completely within 60 min, and the optimum H2 evolution rate of tubular g-C3N4/CdS composite is as high as 71.6 μmol h-1, which is about 16.3 times higher than that of pure bulk g-C3N4. The as-prepared nanostructure would be suitable for treating environmental pollutants as well as for water splitting.