CdS-Decorated MIL-53(Fe) Microrods with Enhanced Visible Light Photocatalytic Performance for the Degradation of Ketorolac Tromethamine and Mechanism Insight

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are extensively employed for environmental remediation due to their outstanding physical and chemical properties. Herein, we have demonstrated the complete and simplistic synthesis of CdS/MIL-53(Fe) using the solvothermal method. The prepared MOF was characterized thoroughly in terms of structural, crystalline, optical, compositional, and textural properties with the help of FESEM, TEM, PXRD, FTIR, PL, EDS elemental mapping, and N₂ adsorption–desorption analysis. The as-synthesized CdS/MIL-53(Fe) was employed for the decomposition of ketorolac tromethamine (KTC) in the aqueous phase under 330 min of visible light illumination. CdS/MIL-53(Fe) showed improved degradation efficiency (80%) for the removal of KTC as compared to pristine MIL-53(Fe). The primary reason attributed for the improvement in photocatalytic efficiency is the formation of the CdS-MIL-53(Fe) heterostructure, which assists in transfer and separation of generated photoinduced carriers. Moreover, the mechanism for the photodegradation of KTC with CdS/MIL-53 was proposed based on the scavenger study.