Formation of Hierarchical In 2 S 3 –CdIn 2 S 4 Heterostructured Nanotubes for Efficient and Stable Visible Light CO 2 Reduction

We demonstrate rational design and fabrication of hierarchical In 2 S 3 -CdIn 2 S 4 heterostructured nanotubes as efficient and stable photocatalysts for visible light CO 2 reduction. The novel self-templated strategy, including sequential anion- and cation-exchange reactions, integrates two distinct sulfide semiconductors into hierarchical tubular hybrids with homogeneous interfacial contacts and ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) nanosheet subunits. Accordingly, the hierarchical heterostructured nanotubes facilitate separation and migration of photoinduced charge carriers, enhance the adsorption and concentration of CO 2 molecules, and offer rich active sites for surface redox reactions. Benefiting from these structural and compositional features, the optimized hierarchical In 2 S 3 -CdIn 2 S 4 nanotubes without employing noble metal cocatalysts in the catalytic system manifest remarkable performance for deoxygenative reduction of CO 2 with high CO generation rate (825 μmol h –1 g –1 ) and outstanding stability under visible light irradiation.