Anion exchange reactions in layered double hydroxide films (M(OH)(2-x)(NO3)(x) center dot mH(2)O) followed by solid state conversion reactions are shown to yield micrometer-sized unsupported metal sulfide (M = Zn, Cd) films with unique textured morphologies. The characteristic three-dimensional nanostructured film morphology and crystallinity of the initial films are retained in the metal sulfide films although these conversion reactions involve anion exchanges concomitant with significant rearrangements of the crystal structures. Surface areas of 42 m(2)/g for zinc sulfide and 50 m(2)/g for cadmium sulfide thin films are observed. These values correspond to an increase in surface area of 75% for the Zn-5(OH)(8)(NO3)(2) center dot 2H(2)O to zinc sulfide conversion, while the cadmium sulfide films exhibit more than three times the surface area of their precursor material, Cd(OH)(NO3) center dot H2O. The three-dimensional morphology of the resulting films is thus observed to combine the physical properties of the bulk materials with the advantages of higher surface areas typically associated with nanostructured or porous materials. The layered double hydroxide materials used in this study to provide both structural and chemical templates were prepared using the mild conditions of a biologically inspired vapor-diffusion catalytic synthesis.