Single-Step Binary Electrostatic Directed Assembly of Active Nanogels for Smart Concentration-Dependent Encryption

Anionic and cationic (N-isopropylacrylamide derivatives) active colloidal hydrogel nanoparticles, i.e., nanogels, are electrostatically assembled on surfaces to form microscale patterns with complex geometries. While using mixed dispersions of these two kinds of nanogels, we demonstrate the capability of sorting the nanogels in one step to form binary nanogel patterns on a surface. These patterns appear independently or simultaneously depending on the relative proportion of each nanogel type in the mixture. Hence, the resulting nanogel patterns provide quantitative information regarding the dispersion composition and can be used to achieve smart concentration-dependent nanogel encryption. Moreover, atomic force microscopy characterization measurements performed in liquid prove that the assembled nanogels maintain their swelling/deswelling properties once attached to the surface. Consequently, this method paves the way for applying such active nanogel patterns to produce smart coatings and sensors.