The subject invention pertains to the synthesis and characterization of V2O5/CdE NW/QD heterostructures. The V2O5/CdE heterostructures are versatile new materials constructs for light harvesting, charge separation, and the photocatalytic production of solar fuels; polymorphism of V2O5 and compositional alloying of both components provides for a substantial design space for tuning of interfacial energy offsets. Also provided are a new class of type-II heterostructures composed of cadmium chalcogenide QDs (CdE where E=S, Se, or Te) and α-V2O5 nanowires (NWs). The synthesis and characterization of V2O5/CdE NW/QD heterostructures, prepared via successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) and linker-assisted assembly (LAA), the characterization of their photoinduced charge-transfer reactivity using transient absorption spectroscopy, and their performance in the photocatalytic reduction of protons to hydrogen are also disclosed.