I have some activated charcoal pads or small "pillows" that can be used to adsorb odors and chemical fumes from different materials.
The instructions say to put them out in sunlight to reactivate them once they have been used for a while.
What is the mechanism whereby sunlight is able to reactivate the charcoal?
I tried googling but could not find a definitive answer. I ended up assuming it must be just heat that forces the gasses trapped in the charcoal to come loose and evaporate, thereby restoring some of the adsorption potential. Is that the mechanism or what is the sorcery going on here?