Graphitic　carbon　nitride　nanotubes　(CN-NTs)　photocatalyst　has　been　synthesized　by　a　hard-template　method　by　using　cyanamide　as　a　precursor　and　silica　nanotubes　(SiO2-NTs)　as　a　hard　template.　The　structure　and　properties　of　CN-NTs　catalyst　are　characterized　by　the　techniques　of　scanning　electron　microscope　(SEM),　transmission　electron　microscope　(TEM),　X-ray　powder　diffraction　(XRD),　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FT-IR),　nitrogen　absorption/desorption　experiment,　ultraviolet　visible　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy　(UV-Vis　DRS),　fluorescence　spectra　and　thermogravimetric　analysis　(TGA).　As　demonstrated　by　the　experimental　results,　CN-NTs　possess　the　chemical　structure　of　graphitic　carbon　nitride　(g-C3N4)　and　the　morphology　of　uniform　nanotubes,　and　belong　to　mesoporous　materials.　Compared　with　the　bulk　carbon　nitride　(B-CN)　and　the　mesoporous　graphitic　carbon　nitride　(mpg-CN),　the　optical　absorption　band　edge　of　CN-NTs　blue-shifts　to　440　nm,　and　the　peak　intensity　of　the　fluorescence　emission　spectra　for　CN-NTs　reduces.　With　the　visible　light　irradiation　(λ>420　nm),　CN-NTs　show　an　outstanding　photocatalytic　water　splitting　activity　with　the　hydrogen　evolution　rate　of　58　μmol/h,　and　also　demonstrate　excellent　stability　in　photocatalytic　activity　and　chemical　structure.　The　investigation　results　indicate　that　the　nanotube　structure　effectively　promotes　the　exciton　separation　of　g-C3N4　semiconductor,　and　improves　the　separation　efficiency　of　photogenerated　electrons　and　holes,　thus　remarkably　optimizing　the　photocatalytic　activity　of　g-C3N4　toward　hydrogen　evolution.　©,　2015,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.