Light-Induced Polymer Response through Thermoplasmonics Transduction in Highly Monodisperse Core-Shell-Brush...

Area of Science:

• Materials Chemistry
• Nanotechnology
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Smart nanosystems responding to external stimuli are crucial for advanced applications.
• Hybrid organic-inorganic materials offer unique responsive properties by combining different building blocks.
• Developing materials that transduce light into physical changes is a key challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a core-shell-brush nanosystem capable of light-induced size changes.
• To utilize a thermoplasmonic effect for remote control of nanoparticle dimensions.
• To demonstrate a modular approach for designing photothermally responsive nanostructures.

Main Methods:

• Sequential synthesis of functionalized silica colloids with thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) brushes via radical photopolymerization.
• Adaptation of the methodology to create Au@SiO2 core-shell-brush nanoparticles.
• Characterization of light-induced particle size changes using dynamic light scattering (DLS) upon green LED irradiation.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of a core-shell-brush nanosystem with a gold (Au) core, silica (SiO2) layer, and PNIPAm brushes.
• Demonstration of light-to-heat conversion by the Au core upon green LED irradiation.
• Confirmation of polymer brush shrinkage and resulting particle size change via in situ DLS measurements.

Conclusions:

• Modular hybrid nanosystems exhibiting photothermal physical transduction can be designed and fabricated.
• The developed Au@SiO2-PNIPAm core-shell-brush architecture enables remote, light-controlled size modulation.
• These responsive nanosystems hold promise for applications in smart carriers, responsive bioscaffolds, and soft robotics.