Reversible molecular adsorption based on multiple-point interaction by shrinkable gels

A general approach is presented for creating polymer-gels that can recogniz e and capture a target molecule by multiple-point interaction and that can reversibly change their affinity to the target by more than one order of ma gnitude. The polymers consist of majority monomers that make the gel revers ibly swell and shrink and minority monomers that constitute multiple-point adsorption centers for the target molecule, Multiple-point interaction is e xperimentally proven by power Laws found between the affinity and the conce ntration of the adsorbing monomers within the gels.