Preparation of nano-Ag-Bi2WO6–TiO2/starch bionanocomposite membranes and mechanism of enhancing visible light degradation of ethylene

Abstract

Ag–Bi2WO6–TiO2 (ABT) ternary composite photocatalyst was prepared using solvothermal and surface deposition method. Then, the nano photocatalyst was doped into the starch film liquid through internal loading method, and finally, ABT/starch composite film was constructed using tape casting method for visible light catalytic degradation of ethylene. Characterize and analyze the structure and physical properties of nano ABT/starch composite membranes prepared with different ABT loading amounts, and optimize the reaction conditions (ABT addition amount, light intensity, initial concentration of ethylene) on the visible light catalytic degradation performance for ethylene of the composite membrane. The results show that the nano ABT particles and starch molecules have good biocompatibility, and they can be well fused to form a film, without changing the crystal structure of ABT and generating other chemical bond. The results of photocatalytic degradation of ethylene showed that when the loading amount of ABT was 5 wt%, the light intensity was 60.5 mw/cm2, and the initial concentration of ethylene was 0.15 mg/L, the ABT/starch film had the best ethylene degradation performance, with a K′ value of 5.6111 × 10−4 min−1, which is 17.9 times that of the blank starch film. Under the optimal preparation conditions, the thickness, tensile strength, elongation at break of the starch composite film is 168.33 μm, 5.01 Mpa, 32.4%, respectively, and the maximum thermal decomposition temperature is 320.5 °C, which meets the requirements for food packaging materials. After 4 cycles, the catalytic degradation of ethylene by starch composite membrane only decreased by 13.98%, indicating good reusability.