Effect of ion sputtering platinum on photocatalytic degradation of ethylene in the environment of cold storage

In order to investigate the effect of nano-platinum (Pt) on photocatalytic degradation of ethylene in the environment of cold storage by TiO₂ anchored on activated carbon fibers (TiO₂/ACF). The TiO₂/ACF deposited Pt (TiO₂/ACF-Pt) by a vacuum ion sputter in two different sputtering ways were prepared. Effects of TiO₂/ACF-Pt prepared in different sputtering ways and time on the photocatalytic degradation rate of ethylene were investigated in the simulated cold storage environment for horticultural products. Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM), Field Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscope (XPS) were used to analyze the prepared TiO₂/ACF-Pt. Results showed that the kinetics of photocatalytic degradation of ethylene by TiO₂/ACF desoposited Pt in the simulated cold storage environment for horticultural products could be described using the pseudo first-order equation. The prepared TiO₂/ACF-Pt, in the process of which Pt was initially deposited on the surface of ACF and then TiO₂ was coated, would promote the activity of ethylene decomposing. When ion sputtering time was 60 seconds (Pt/Ti atomic concentration ratio was 0.112), the apparent rate constant of the reaction of TiO₂/ACF-Pt was 1.16 times as much as that of TiO₂/ACF. The micrographic structure of ACF was not damaged and an excessive porous structure, which was contributive to absorbing the diluted ethylene, was obtained by the way of ion sputtering Pt.