Green removal of ethylene with composite photocatalyst MIL101(Fe)/TiO2 with different molecular structure

With the large surface area and excellent adsorption properties of MIL-101(Fe), MIL-101(Fe)/TiO 2 photocatalysts were prepared by chemical method and physical method in this research, respectively. The photocatalysts' performance on ethylene degradation was evaluated, and the photocatalyst prepared using the chemical method (CH-MT) performed better than that by physical method (PHY-MT) under the same conditions. Moreover, the photocatalysts' molecular structure was characterized by XRD, FTIR, UV–Vis DRS, BET, and XPS. The redox process of Ti 4+ /Ti 3+ of TiO 2 and Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ effectively prevents the complexation of e − -h + pairs. In this cycle, the oxidatively active substance (∙O 2 - ) is provided, which plays a key role in the ethylene degradation of MIL-101(Fe)/TiO 2 photocatalysts. Furthermore, in the BET analysis, CH-MT's specific surface area and pore volume were smaller than PHY-MT's, which improved ethylene absorption, enhanced the transfer of photogenerated carriers, and raised the photocatalytic reaction efficiency of CH-MT. The differences between MIL-101(Fe)/TiO 2 photocatalysts prepared by various methods were investigated and discussed, providing a new approach for MOF materials' application in agricultural areas.