Employable metal (Ag & Pd)@MIL-125-NH2@cellulose acetate film for visible-light driven photocatalysis for reduction of nitro-aromatics

[Display omitted] •Re-employable effective photo-catalyst films were easily prepared by casting technique.•Metal (Ag & Pd)@MIL-125-NH2@CA films showed low band gap (2.38–1.99 eV).•The reduced 2-nitrophenol was increased by 29–31 times when metal@MIL-125-NH2@CA used.•The photo-reduction of 2-nitrophenol was lowered to 54.4–62.0 % after 5 using times. The effective and reusable photocatalyst film based on metal @metal organic framework@cellulose acetate [metal (Ag & Pd)@MIL-125-NH2@CA] was systematically studied. Nano-silver was grown over the crystalline disc of MIL-125-NH2 within CA film, while, self-assembly of crystalline trees like the structure of Pd)@MIL-125-NH2 was observed inside CA matrix. The calculated band gap was diminished from 2.53 eV to 2.38–1.99 eV after doping of metal (Ag & Pd) within MIL-125-NH2@CA film. Compared to MIL-125-NH2@CA; metal (Ag & Pd)@MIL-125-NH2@CA film showed a considerably higher photocatalytic reduction of nitro-aromatics in visible light. After 60 min, 80.6–93.5 % of 2-nitrophenol was photoreduced when metal (Ag & Pd)@MIL-125-NH2@CA film was used. After 5 recycles, the photoreduction percentage of 2-nitrophenol was lowered to 54.4–62.0. The produced metal@MIL-125-NH2@CA films showed an effective photocatalytic reduction of nitro-aromatics in the visible light, reflecting their promising performance in preparation of intermediates useful in many industrial products.