Smart adsorbents with reversible photo-regulated molecular switches for selective adsorption and efficient regeneration

Traditional adsorbents with fixed pore surface properties are unlikely to achieve both selective adsorption and efficient desorption, which are extremely desirable in adsorption processes. Here we report a new class of smart adsorbents by introducing photo-responsive azobenzene derivatives to pore interiors of mesoporous silica. The azobenzene molecules are applied as ON-OFF switches for active sites, and are reversibly regulated by UV/visible light irradiation, thus endowing the adsorbents with unprecedented properties to achieve selective adsorption and efficient desorption.