Preparation of photo-responsive hybrid materials based on hydrogels involving imidazolium-presenting gold nanoparticles

Abstract

In this study we developed hydrogel-based hybrid materials with gold nanoparticles that have tunable optical properties under light irradiation. Attaining the stimuli-responsive dynamic changes in the solid material from the optical properties of the gold nanoparticles depended on the interparticle distance, and we designed hydrogel-based organic-inorganic hybrids with gold nanoparticles. Homogeneously dispersed states of the modified gold nanoparticles were achieved in the hydrogel with the interaction of the imidazolium units tethered to both the nanoparticle surfaces and the side chains of the networks. Initially, we found that the absorption properties could be changed by swelling and shrinking the hydrogels. Next, by using the photoresponsive mono-carboxylate linker, we induced the photo-triggered modulation of the absorption properties of the hydrogels. These results can be explained by a change in the interparticle distance within the hydrogel matrix.