Smart core/shell nanocomposites: Intelligent polymers modified gold nanoparticles

Recently, the polymer modified gold nanoparticles have showed much potential in advanced materials. In this paper, the smart core/shell nanocomposites of intelligent polymers and gold nanoparticles were reviewed from the preparation, properties to potential applications. The main preparative methods were detailed including the direct-synthesis method, "graft-to" strategy, "graft-from" strategy and physical adsorption method, in which the surface-initiated radical polymerization such as atom-transfer radical polymerization and reversible-addition fragmentation chain-transfer radical polymerization displayed several advantages for well-defined nanostructures. The stimuli-responsive property and potential uses of such-fabricated nanocomposites were sorted to thermosensitive, pH responsive and other responsive catalogues to describe more clarified. In application. the combination of gold nanoparticles and intelligent polymers provides a facile path for intelligent materials and might be encouraged to hold enormous chances in biotechnology and nanotechnology. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.