January 13, 2010
Journal Article

“Smart” Diblock Copolymers as Templates for Magnetic-Core Gold-Shell Nanoparticle Synthesis

Abstract

We report a new strategy for synthesizing temperature-responsive ?-Fe2O3-core/Au-shell nanoparticles (Au-mNPs) from diblock copolymer micelles. The amphiphilic diblock copolymer chains were synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) with a thermally responsive “smart” poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAAm) block and an amine-containing poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethylacrylamide) (DMAEAm) block that acted as a reducing agent during gold shell formation. The Au-mNPs reversibly aggregated upon heating the solution above the transition temperature of pNIPAAm, resulting in a red-shifted localized surface plasmon resonance.

Revised: February 18, 2011 | Published: January 13, 2010

Citation

Nash M.A., J.J. Lai, A.S. Hoffman, P. Yager, and P.S. Stayton. 2010. “Smart” Diblock Copolymers as Templates for Magnetic-Core Gold-Shell Nanoparticle Synthesis. Nano Letters 10, no. 1:85-91. doi:10.1021/nl902865v