In this presentation we will describe our use of 'smart' thermosensitive copolymers to functionalize gold nanoparticles. Polymers consisting of N-Isopropylacrylamide and Acrylamide units of tailored ratios were used to modify the gel transition temperature of the pNIPAAm-co-pAAm polymer. To facilitate binding to gold nanoparticles with sizes of 11, 25, and 50 nm, a disulfide initiator was used and incorporated into the copolymer structure.  Once functionalized, the copolymer-capped nanoparticles posses thermal properties very similar to the smart polymer.  For example, once the transition temperature is reached, the polymer shell undergoes a hydrophilic to hydrophobic phase transition, which results in the reversible self-assembly of the nanoparticles. The structure of the copolymer brush layer, and the temperature induced self-assembly was probed via dynamic light scattering, and UV-vis monitoring of the nanoparticles surface plasmon resonance.  Future application of these thermosensitive smart particles will also be discussed.

Thermosensitive copolymer functionalized nanoparticles

244th National Meeting (2012)

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