The photo-responsivebis(crownether)(1) acts as a mediator for (i) photo-controlled, selective ion-extraction and (ii) acceleration and decelaration of ion-transport rates by light.
Azobenzene-bridged crownether(AZO-CR) in the ternarycompositemembrane exhibits trans–cis photoisomerization by irradiation of ultraviolet and visible lights. The K+ ionpermeationthrough the ternarycompositemembrane is facilitated by photoirradiation. The facilitated transport of K+ ion is in strong relation to an altered affinity of AZO-CR for K+ ion due to the trans–cis configurational change