Correlating structural changes in thermoresponsive hydrogels to the optical response of embedded plasmonic nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT: Stimuli-responsive microgels, composed of small beads with soft, deformable polymer networks swollen through a combination of synthetic control over the polymer and its interaction with water, form a versatile platform for development of multifunctional and biocompatible sensors. The interfacial structural variation of such materials at a nanometer length scale is essential to their function, but not yet fully comprehended. Here, we take advantage of the plasmonic response of a gold nanorod embedded in a thermoresponsive microgel (AuNR@PNIPMAm) to monitor structural changes in the hydrogel directly near the nanorod surface. By direct comparison of the plasmon response against measurements of the hydrogel structure from dynamic light scattering and nuclear magnetic resonance, we find that t

SUBMITTER: Zygadlo K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10729875 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature