Realizing both selective adsorption and efficient regeneration using adsorbents with photo-regulated molecular gates

Abstract

A new generation of smart adsorbents was designed by grafting photo-responsive molecules onto the pore entrances of mesoporous silica. These molecules act as the gates of the mesopores, which are reversibly closed/opened upon light irradiation. Our smart adsorbents thus realize both selective adsorption and efficient desorption, which is highly expected for adsorption but impossible for traditional adsorbents with fixed pore entrances.