Search

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries are promising energy storage devices due to their low cost, good ionic conductivity, and high safety. Conductive polyaniline is a promising cathode because of its redox activity, but because the neutral electrolyte protonates only weakly, it displays limited electrochemical activity. A polyaniline cathode is developed with proton self‐doping from manganese metal–organic frameworks (Mn–MOFs) that alleviates the deprotonation and electrochemical activity concerns arising during the charge/discharge process. The MOFs carboxyl group provides protons to prevent deprotonation and allows the polyaniline to reach a high zinc storage redox activity. The proton self‐doped polyaniline cathode has a superior specific capacity (273 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1), a high rate property (154 mAh g−1 at 20 A g−1), and excellent cyclability retention (87% over 4000 cycles at 15 A g−1). This research provides fresh insight into the development of innovative polymers as cathode materials for high‐performance AZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hierarchical spheroidal MnO@C heterogeneous interface as a cathode material for AZIBs and synthesized through a MOF, which exhibits the excellent cycling stability. [Display omitted] Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have shown great potential as energy storage devices owing to their high energy density, low cost, and low toxicity. Typically, high performance AZIBs incorporate manganese-based cathode materials. Despite their advantages, these cathodes are limited by significant capacity fading and poor rate performance due to the dissolution and disproportionation of manganese. Herein, hierarchical spheroidal MnO@C structures were synthesized from Mn-based metal–organic frameworks, which benefit from a protective carbon layer to prevent manganese dissolution. The spheroidal MnO@C structures were incorporated onto a heterogeneous interface to act as a cathode material for AZIBs, which exhibited excellent cycling stability (160 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles at 3.0 A g−1), good rate capability (165.9 mAh g−1 at 3.0 A g−1), and appreciable specific capacity (412.4 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1) for AZIBs. Moreover, the Zn2+ storage mechanism in MnO@C was comprehensively investigated using ex-situ XRD and XPS studies. These results demonstrate that hierarchical spheroidal MnO@C is a potential cathode material for high-performing AZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The functionalized graphene/polyaniline composite cathode showed high specific capacity and excellent rate performance. • A large conductive network was assembled by functionalized graphene and polyaniline. • The formation of -N-Zn-O- structure efficiently enhanced the Zn2+ storage behavior during discharging process. • A novel H+ and Zn2+ insertion mechanism was presented in this work. Polyaniline (PANI) as a typical conductive polymer has been widely applied in cathode materials of aqueous zinc ion battery (AZIB), owing to the features of high electronic conductivity and simple synthesized methods. However, the cycling instability caused of spontaneous deprotonation still limited the extensive application of PANI cathode materials. In this work, a functionalized commercial graphene (MEG) and PANI composite (MGP-1) was successfully assembled by a facile two-step method. When the MGP-1 acted as cathode material in AZIB, it demonstrated a high capacity of 184.5 mAh/g (0.2 A/g) and excellent rate performance of 137.6 mAh/g (3 A/g) compared to the PANI cathode. The corresponding analysis revealed that the boosted electrochemical behavior of MGP-1 was attributed to the large conductive network fabricated by the MEG and PANI, and the formations of -N-Zn-O- structures during discharging process. Moreover, based on the conventional H+ insertion mechanism, this work furtherly provided a H+ and Zn2+ insertion mechanism. In addition, the utilization of cheap and abundant commercial graphene would allow the graphene/polyaniline composite to be a promising cathode material applied in AZIB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A three-dimensional mesoporous microsphere structural β-MnO 2 /PPy composite was obtained using a facile hydrothermal method. • The electric PPy nanowires linked each β-MnO 2 nanorods to significantly enhance the energy storage behavior of β-MnO 2. • The total capacity was dominated by the synergistic effect between the diffusion-controlled and capacitive behavior. [Display omitted] Mn-based materials as a cathode have drawn much attention in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) for its advantages of low cost and environmental friendliness. However, the sluggish reaction kinetics and low structural stability still limit the electrochemical application of Mn-based materials. Herein, a β-MnO 2 / polypyrrole (PPy) composite was synthesized using a facile hydrothermal method. It delivered a remarkable specific discharge capacity of 361.8 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.2 A g−1 and great rate performance compared to pure MnO 2 powder. And morphological and electrochemical characterizations revealed that the enhanced electrochemical performance of β-MnO 2 /PPy composite was mainly attributed to the high conductivity of PPy nanowires and the 3D mesoporous microsphere structure, which was assembled by β-MnO 2 nanorods and PPy nanowires. This article provided a new sight of synthesizing Mn-based materials/conducting polymer composites for high-performance cathode in zinc-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt‐based catalysts are widely used as efficient activator for the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). A new carbon enclosed magnetic metal cobalt (Co@C) catalyst was successfully synthesized by high‐temperature pyrolysis of cobalt‐based metal‐organic framework. The prepared Co@C catalyst demonstrated remarkable catalytic activity for the degradation of contaminants (99.9 % for tetracycline (TC) degradation within 10 min). The TC degradation efficiency could still sustain more than 99 % after three cycles. Moreover, the Co@C/PMS system exhibited great universality for the rapid removal of other dyes such as methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB). The zero‐valent cobalt was engaged in the activation of the PMS and reacted with O2 to form Co2+, to make sure that there was enough Co2+ to activate PMS to generate Co3+. Simultaneously, the produced Co3+ ions extracted electrons out of HSO5- ${{{\rm { HSO}}}_{{\rm { 5}}}^{{\rm { -}}}}$ , driving a Co0/Co2+/Co3+ circulation to keep the high efficiency for rapid degradation of TC. In summary, this work offers a novel strategy to develop an effective magnetic heterogeneous catalyst to activate PMS for the elimination of difficult to degrade contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel ternary ZnO/CdS/GO heterostructure with boosting photocatalytic performance and stability was prepared by a simple hydrothermal method. The morphology, crystal structure, chemical composition and optical properties of the composite were thoroughly investigated. Results show that the obtained ZnO/2CdS/10GO composite exhibits the optimal activity towards RhB removal under sunlight irradiation, which is higher than that of pristine ZnO and CdS. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of the composite is attributed to the close heterostructure and excellent conductivity of GO. Besides, the radical trapping experiments revealed that superoxide radical (•O2−) and holes (h+) were the vital active species in the photocatalytic process. Meanwhile, the corresponding photocatalytic mechanism was also investigated. In all, this work supplies a facile route to design highly efficient and stable photocatalysts for water purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protonated g-C3N4/MoS2 heterojunction with enhanced photocatalytic activity was prepared by treating g-C3N4/MoS2 with formic acid and using a hydrothermal method. The microstructure and morphology of the heterojunctions were analysed by XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM, and XPS technology, respectively. The photodegradation experiment results verified that the formic acid treatment has a positive effect on the photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4/MoS2 heterojunctions. The as-prepared protonated g-C3N4/MoS2 composite with 5 wt% of MoS2 exhibited the highest photodegradation rate and photodegradation kinetic constant (k) for degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye. The activated species trapping experiment revealed that the superoxide radical (·O2−) plays an important role for degradation of MO dye. Furthermore, the investigation on the photocatalytic mechanism inferred that the enhanced photocatalytic property of protonated g-C3N4/MoS2 composite could be attributed to the Z-scheme electron migration mechanism in composite and the improved photo-induced electron-hole separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this communication, a novel Er3+ complex Er(PT)3TPPO [PT=1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-tert-butylbenzoyl-5-pyrazolone, TPPO=triphenyl phosphine oxide] is successfully synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Its optical properties and the energy transfer process from the ligand PT to the Er3+ ion are investigated, the typical near-infrared (NIR) luminescence (centered at around 1530nm) is attributed to the 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition of Er3+ ion which results from the efficient energy transfer from PT to Er3+ ion (an antenna effect). The wider full width at half maximum (78nm) peaked at 1530nm in the emission spectrum and the Judd–Ofelt theory calculation on the radiative properties suggest that Er(PT)3TPPO should be a promising candidate for tunable lasers and planar optical amplifiers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is an aggressive B-cell malignancy without effective treatment, and caused by the infection of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), predominantly in its latent form. Previously we showed that the SUMO2-interacting motif within the viral latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANASIM) is essential for establishment and maintenance of KSHV latency. Here, we developed a luciferase based live-cell reporter system to screen inhibitors selectively targeting the interaction between LANASIM and SUMO2. Cambogin, a bioactive natural product isolated from the Garcinia genus (a traditional herbal medicine used for cancer treatment), was obtained from the reporter system screening to efficiently inhibit the association of SUMO2 with LANASIM, in turn reducing the viral episome DNA copy number for establishment and maintenance of KSHV latent infection at a low concentration (nM). Importantly, Cambogin treatments not only specifically inhibited proliferation of KSHV-latently infected cells in vitro, but also induced regression of PEL tumors in a xenograft mouse model. This study has identified Cambogin as a novel therapeutic agent for treating PEL as well as eliminating persistent infection of oncogenic herpesvirus. Author summary: Primary effusion lymphoma is a common AIDS-associated malignancy caused by infection with Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), and is currently absence of efficient and specific treatment. Natural product from herbal medicines is a major source of drug discovery for the treatment of a variety of diseases. In this study, the authors demonstrated that Cambogin, a polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs) isolated from the branches of Garcinia esculenta (a tropical evergreen tree and traditional cancer treatment across Southern Asia), is a potent and effective inhibitor of KSHV-latently infected cells at a low concentration (nM) in vitro and in vivo, through targeting viral LANASIM-SUMO2 interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is an effective method to explore the full spectrum responsive photocatalysts for enhancing their photocatalytic activity. Herein, we have combined the upconversion phosphor with semiconductor to design the full‐spectrum light responsive photocatalyst. A facile approach has been developed for synthesis of NaYF4:Yb,Tm@TiO2 core‐shell structured composite. The morphologies, crystal phases, chemical compositions, optical performance, and photoelectric properties were characterized. Based on SEM and TEM observation, the formation mechanism of NaYF4:Yb,Tm@TiO2 composite was discussed in detail. The results of photodegradation experiment showed that 22% of Rhodamine B dye in the solution was photodegradated by NaYF4:Yb,Tm@TiO2 composite under NIR light irradiation within 150 min, suggesting that the NaYF4:Yb,Tm@TiO2 core‐shell structured composite displayed photocatalytic activity under NIR light irradiation. Furthermore, the photocatalytic ability of NaYF4:Yb,Tm@TiO2 is obvious superior to that of TiO2 under the full‐spectrum light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The porous CuS x /C exhibited excellent catalytic performance. • S-vacancies in CuS x /C are obtained via partial sulfidation and thermal annealing treatment. • S-vacancies provide abundant Cu+/Cu2+ active sites for PMS activation. Transition metal sulfides are often used as heterogeneous catalysts to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS), but insufficient active sites on catalysts surface limited the further application. Herein, a porous carbon-based copper sulfide (CuS x /C) nanosphere with plentiful sulfur vacancies was obtained and exhibited excellent catalytic activity for degrading pollutants (97.9 % for Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation within 6 min) in PMS system, which was significantly higher than that of CuS and CuS x (7.1 % and 13.8 %). The high catalytic performance of CuS x /C was mainly attributed to the existence of plentiful sulfur vacancies and the special porous morphology, thereby more Cu+/Cu2+ exposed on the CuS x /C surface, and further provided more active sites for the activation of PMS. This research provides a new strategy to construct high performance transition metal sulfides catalysts with sufficient sulfur vacancies for activating PMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A neutral complex PN3P-Rh(i)Cl (2) was prepared from a reaction of the PN3P pincer ligand (1) with [Rh(COD)Cl]2 (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene). Upon treatment with a suitable base, H–H and Csp2–H activation reactions can be achieved through the deprotonation/reprotonation of one of the N–H arms and dearomatization/rearomatization of the central pyridine ring with the oxidation state of Rh remaining i. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new allotrope with sp - and sp 3 - hybridized bonds has been predicted by first-principles calculations. This allotrope is formed by interweaving the structures of T-carbon and diamond, thus termed TD-carbon. The energy stability, thermodynamic stability and dynamic stability of TD-carbon have been verified through calculating the total energy, ab initio molecular dynamics simulation, and phonon spectra as well as elastic constants, respectively. TD-carbon is a semiconductor with a direct band gap of 2.82 eV and a low density of 0.673 g / cm 3 . Importantly, it absorbs visible light more easily than TiO 2 . These results suggest that TD-carbon is a potential functional material for optoelectronic devices, hydrogen storage and aerospace materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Zn x Cd 1-x S was firstly applied to photo-Fenton system as catalyst and co-catalyst. • The ZCS-3 photo-Fenton system exhibited satisfactory catalytic performance. • The photocatalysis of that system was synergized with co-catalysis. The exploration of new catalysts or co-catalysts to promoting the circulation efficiency between Fe3+ and Fe2+ in photo-Fenton system is of great significance for sewage treatment. Herein, metallic sulfides (Zn x Cd 1-x S) with different molar ratio of Zn/Cd were constructed by a facile solvothermal technology and applied to photo-Fenton system as both catalyst and co-catalyst for the first time. The catalytic activity of photo-Fenton systems could be enhanced by adding any as-prepared samples. Moreover, photo-Fenton system containing ZCS-3 (molar ratio of Zn:Cd = 3:7) presented the highest degradation rate for Rhodamine B (RhB, 93.5%), which showed significant improvement compared with that of photo-system without ZCS-3(43.7%). The excellent performance of this photo-Fenton system was mainly ascribed to the synergistic effect between photocatalytic and co-catalytic of ZCS-3. EPR and XPS results confirmed that the Zn2+ in the ZCS-3 would be reduced to Zn+ by the •O2–, which generated under visible light irradiation in photo-Fenton system. Thereby, more Zn+/Zn2+ exposed on the ZCS-3 surface during this photo-Fenton reaction, ensuring the acceleration of conversion between Fe2+ and Fe3+. The catalytic mechanism revealed that the formation of stable double recycles of Zn2+/Zn+ and Fe2+/Fe3+ in catalytic process displayed prominent enhancement for the catalytic properties of the photo-Fenton system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylenediisophthalic acid (H4MDIP), as semi-rigid ‘V’-shaped carboxylate ligands, react with CoO, NiO and Cu(NO3)2·3H2O to give three novel coordination polymers [H3O]2[Co3(MDIP)2]·2DMF (1), [Ni2(HMDIP)(μ2-OH)(H2O)3(DMF)]·4H2O·DMF (2) and [Cu3(MDIP)(μ2-OH)2(H2O)4]·6.5H2O (3) (DMF = N,N′-dimethylformamide). All compounds have been characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, IR spectroscopy, elemental and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Complex 1is an unusual open anionic framework that is defined as the metal–organic replica of fluorite. Both 2and 3features a 3D open framework with one-dimensional elliptical channels and R- and L-helical chains, and their resulting frameworks can be rationalized as crband ptstopology respectively. An interesting feature of complex 3is the presence of the linear Cu3units that is formed by carboxylate and μ2-hydroxyl groups linking three Cu(ii) metal centers. Magnetic investigations indicate that ferromagnetic couplings are dominant in the three compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel diimine Cu(I) complex [Cu(ABPQ)(DPEphos)]BF4 [ABPQ and DPEphos are acenaphtho[1,2-b]bipyrido[2,3-h;3,2-f]quinoxaline and bis(2-(diphenylphosphanyl)phenyl) ether, respectively] is synthesized, and its photophysical properties are experimentally and theoretically characterized. The emission bands centered at ca. 400/470 and 550nm of [Cu(ABPQ)(DPEphos)]BF4 are attributed to the ligand-centered π→π* transition and the metal-to-ligand charge transfer dπ(Cu)→π*(N–N) transition, respectively. The luminescence quantum yield of [Cu(ABPQ)(DPEphos)]BF4 in CHCl3 is found to be about five times higher than that of [Cu(Phen)(DPEphos)]BF4. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • CuS-Cu 9 S 8 micro-flower was applied to Fenton system as co-catalyst. • CuS-Cu 9 S 8 has positive influence on the degradation of organic pollutions. • Cu+/Cu2+ redox pairs in the CuS-Cu 9 S 8 accelerated the Fe2+/Fe3+ conversion cycle. The co-catalyst plays an important role for improving the catalysis efficiency in Fenton system. In this paper, a new co-catalyst, CuS-Cu 9 S 8 micro-flower was successfully prepared by a facilely hydrothermal method. The effect of co-catalysis for CuS-Cu 9 S 8 micro-flower was evaluated by degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in Fenton system, and the RhB solution could be degraded 90% in 15 min in the CuS-Cu 9 S 8 co-catalytic Fenton system under optimal condition, which is apparently better than that of the conventional Fenton system (59%). And EPR result shows that the unsaturated S atoms on the surface of CuS-Cu 9 S 8 can capture protons to form H 2 S and expose more Cu+/Cu2+ active sites on the surface of CuS-Cu 9 S 8 flower. The high co-catalytic activity of CuS-Cu 9 S 8 on pollutant degradation can be attributed to the acceleration for the rate-limiting Fe2+/Fe3+conversion by the exposed Cu+ /Cu2+ redox pairs. The cycle experiments show that CuS-Cu 9 S 8 has excellent chemical stability and reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel plasmonic photocatalysts have been extensively investigated because of their advantages in efficient light absorption and surface plasmon resonance effect (SPR). Herein, plasmon-induced BiPO 4 /Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 heterostructures were constructed by in-situ partially reduction along with hydrothermal approach. Photo-degradation results revealed that BiPO 4 /Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 -1.2 (abbreviation as Bi/Ag-1.2) product presented a significant enhancement of photoactivity for Methyl orange-MO, Congo red-CR and tetracycline-TC degradation under visible light irradiation, which was higher than that of pristine BiPO 4 and Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 , respectively. Moreover, this excellent performance of Bi/Ag-1.2 was mainly ascribed to the synergistic effect consisting of intimate heterostructure between BiPO 4 and Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 and SPR effect of Ag, thus ensuring an accelerated separation and transfer of photo-generated carriers and promoting the absorbance of visible light. The trapping test and electron spin resonance further demonstrated that h+ and ·O 2− species are the vital active species in the photocatalytic reaction. Meanwhile, a plausible photocatalytic mechanism induced by plasmon-based heterojunctions was systematically proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The novel Yb3+/Tm3+ co-doped Ti 3 C 2 /Ag@Ag 3 VO 4 composite was fabricated by in-situ partially reduction-hydrothermal strategy. • The resultant Yb3+/Tm3+ co-doped Ti 3 C 2 /Ag@Ag 3 VO 4 composite exhibited enhanced photo-degradation performance under visible light irradiation. • The synthetic process and the corresponding photocatalytic mechanism was proposed and investigated detailedly. A novel Yb3+/Tm3+ co-doped Ti 3 C 2 /Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 composite with stable and robust photodegradation performance was synthesized by in-situ partially reduction along with hydrothermal strategy. In the composite, block-like Ag 3 VO 4 particles are self-assembled on the surface of 2D Ti 3 C 2 MXene accompanied by partial reduction of Ag+ to Ag0. Photodegradation results showed that the resulting Yb3+/Tm3+ co-doped Ti 3 C 2 /Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 composite with optimal Yb/Tm proportion (Y/T:0.3/0.005) presented a boosting photocatalytic performance for degradation of tetracycline (TC) and organic dyes under visible light irradiation. The removal efficiency was 97% for TC in 20 min, 96% for rhodamine B in 25 min, and 99% for methylene blue in 20 min, which was higher than that of Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 composite. As manifested by photoelectrochemical measurements, the enhanced photocatalytic performance of the Y/T:0.3/0.005 composite was attributed to the improved light absorption and excellent charge separation induced by the formation of intermediate energy states after co-doping Yb3+/Tm3+ ions. Meanwhile, the photocatalytic mechanism of the photocatalyst was also investigated through electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra and trapping experiments, which verified that the active species of h+ and ·O 2 − play the important role for photodegradation of tetracyline and organic dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ti 3 C 2 -OH/Bi 2 WO 6 :Yb3+,Tm3+ was prepared via a facile hydrothermal method. • Ti 3 C 2 -OH/Bi 2 WO 6 :Yb3+,Tm3+ composites accompanied 2D/2D heterojunction with grid-like porous hierarchical structure. • Ti3C 2 -OH/Bi 2 WO 6 :Yb3+,Tm3+ composite shows significant enhancement on photocatalytic activity. It is an effective method to explore full spectrum responsive photocatalyst for improving their photocatalytic activity. Herein, Ti 3 C 2 −OH/Bi 2 WO 6 :Yb3+, Tm3+ composites were successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method. The resultant Ti 3 C 2 −OH/Bi 2 WO 6 :Yb3+, Tm3+ composites accompanied 2D/2D heterojunction with grid-like porous structure present a significant enhancement of photoactivity towards degradation of RhB under visible and NIR light irradiation. Specifically, the 0.2-Y/T-TB2.8 composite exhibits the best photocatalytic activity for RhB removal, in which the RhB degradation efficiency was 99.8% (Vis-NIR, 30 min), 91% (Vis, 30 min), and 48% (NIR, 160 min). The excellent photocatalytic activity of the composite is attributed to the grid-like porous structure endowing it with an enhanced RhB adsorption, favorable charge separation resulting from the outstanding conductivity of the Ti 3 C 2 −OH, and up-conversion mechanism via energy level transition of Yb3+/Tm3+. In addition, the radical capture experiments verified that the hole (h+) plays the important role for degradation of RhB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ternary Ti 3 C 2 –OH/ln 2 S 3 /CdS composites with an efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance have been prepared via a facile hydrothermal synthesis method. The photo-degradation experiments verified that Ti 3 C 2 –OH/ln 2 S 3 /CdS composite with a large surface area of 68.2 m2/g exhibited an enhanced photocatalytic activity and adsorption capacity towards Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation, which was higher than that of the naked CdS and ln 2 S 3 , respectively. Furthermore, Ti 3 C 2 –OH/ln 2 S 3 /CdS composite showed robust degradation efficiency for mixture dyes of RhB and Methyl Orange (MO), and its catalytic ability was superior to that of ternary GO/ln 2 S 3 /CdS composite. The trapping experiments for active species revealed that hole (h+) and •O 2 − species played a critical role in the removal of organic pollutants. In summary, the enhanced photocatalytic performance of Ti 3 C 2 –OH/ln 2 S 3 /CdS photocatalyst was derived from an excellent charge carrier separation and transfer of Ti 3 C 2 –OH MXene and the synergistic effect between CdS and ln 2 S 3 which resulting in strong visible light response. Image 1 • The Ti 3 C 2 –OH/In 2 S 3 /CdS composite was fabricated via a facile hydrothermal route. • The Ti 3 C 2 –OH/In 2 S 3 /CdS composite exhibited enhanced photo-degradation performance under visible light irradiation. • The photocatalytic mechanism of the Ti 3 C 2 –OH/In 2 S 3 /CdS composite has been investigated carefully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]