Gold nanoparticles
(AuNPs) or gold nanorods (AuNRs) are loaded
in polyacrylamide hydrogels cooperatively cross-linked by bis-acrylamide
and nucleic acid duplexes or boronate ester–glucosamine and
nucleic acid duplexes. The thermoplasmonic properties of AuNPs and
AuNRs are used to control the stiffness of the hydrogels. The irradiation
of the AuNP-loaded (λ = 532 nm) or the AuNR-loaded (λ
= 808 nm) hydrogels leads to thermoplasmonic heating of the hydrogels,
the dehybridization of the DNA duplexes, and the formation of hydrogels
with lower stiffness. By ON/OFF irradiation, the hydrogels are switched
between low- and high-stiffness states. The reversible control over
the stiffness properties of the hydrogels is used to develop shape-memory
hydrogels and self-healing soft materials and to tailor thermoplasmonic
switchable drug release. In addition, by designing bilayer composites
of AuNP- and AuNR-loaded hydrogels, a reversible thermoplasmonic,
light-induced bending is demonstrated, where the bending direction
is controlled by the stress generated in the respective bilayer composite.
Photoresponsive hydrogels crosslinked by trans-azobenzene/β-cyclodextrin and duplex DNA or K+-G-quadruplex are described. The hydrogels reveal shape-memory functions and self-healing properties.
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