This work focuses on the synthesis method of Au nanoparticles protected by a well-defined polymer monolayer. Nanosized, spherical gold clusters coated with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) grafts were prepared by controlled radical polymerization. The polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide was initiated from the surface of a gold nanoparticle modified with 4-cyanopentanoic acid dithiobenzoate for a reversible-addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization. The number mean diameter of the Au core was 3.2 nm as observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The molar mass of the PNIPA ligand was 21000 g/mol by gel permeation chromatography. The changes in the surface plasmon of gold were investigated in different media, and as functions of particle concentration, as well as of temperature in aqueous solutions. The particles were soluble at least slightly in water, forming aggregates. The area and the maximum wavelength of the plasmon band in water decreased with dilution and increasing temperature. During the collapse of PNIPA ligands the surroundings of the gold surface change from hydrophilic to hydrophobic.

The thermally induced phase transition of the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) brush covalently bound to the surface of the gold nanoparticles was studied using high-sensitivity microcalorimetry. Two types of PNIPAM monolayer protected clusters (MPCs) of gold nanoparticles were employed, denoted as the cumyl- and the cpa-PNIPAM MPCs, bearing either a phenylpropyl end group or a carboxyl end group on each PNIPAM chain, respectively. The PNIPAM chains of both MPCs exhibit two separate transition endotherms; i.e., the first transition with a sharp and narrow endothermic peak occurs at lower temperature, while the second one with a broader peak occurs at higher temperature. With increase of the MPC concentration, the transition temperature corresponding to the first peak only slightly changes but the second transition temperature strongly shifts to lower temperature. The calorimetric enthalpy change in the first transition is much smaller than that in the second transition. The ratio of the calorimetric enthalpy change to the van't Hoff enthalpy change indicates that in the first transition PNIPAM segments show much higher cooperativity than in the second one. The investigation of pH dependence of two-phase transitions further indicates the PNIPAM brush reveals two separate transitions even with a change in interchain/interparticle association. The observations are tentatively rationalized by assuming that the PNIPAM brush can be subdivided into two zones, the inner zone and the outer zone. In the inner zone, the PNIPAM segments are close to the gold surface, densely packed, less hydrated, and undergo the first transition. In the outer zone, on the other hand, the PNIPAM segments are looser and more hydrated, adopt a restricted random coil conformation, and show a phase transition, which is dependent on both concentration of MPC and the chemical nature of the end groups of the PNIPAM chains. Aggregation of the particles, which may also affect the phase transition, is briefly discussed.

No abstract

The preparation of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-monolayer-protected clusters (PNIPAM-MPC) of gold nanoparticles was carried out in a homogeneous phase using three methods, in which three types of PNIPAM ligands were employed. The first type was comprised of PNIPAMs with narrow molar mass distributions, synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and thus bearing a dithiobenzoate at the chain end. These polymers were used directly to passivate the gold nanoparticles upon the Schiffrin reaction in a one-pot synthesis. The second type of ligand was derived from the first one through hydrazinolysis, and they therefore contained a thiol end group. The third type of ligand was PNIPAMs obtained through conventional radical polymerization, postmodified to contain thiol end groups. The PNIPAM-MPCs were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering. The one-pot synthesis utilizing the ligands of the first type turned out to be a simple and facile method compared with the other two ways, with which the size of the gold nanoparticles can be easily manipulated mainly by adjusting the molar ratios of PNIPAM/HAuCl 4. PNIPAM is a more efficient ligand to stabilize the gold nanoparticles in water and in organic solvents than alkanethiols. The surface density of PNIPAM chains ranged from 1.8 to 2.5 chain/nm 2 , which is much lower than that typical for alkanethiols. The thickness of a PNIPAM monolayer bound to the gold core is somewhat larger than the size of the random coil of the corresponding free PNIPAM in aqueous solution, which suggests that the conformation of a PNIPAM chain bound to the gold core is extended.

This work describes the synthesis of temperature-responsive polystyrene-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-block-polystyrene triblock copolymers, i.e., PS-b-PNIPAM-b-PS, their self-assembly and phase behavior in bulk, and demonstration of aqueous thermoresponsive membranes. A series of PS-b-PNIPAM-b-PS triblock copolymers were synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The hydrophobic PS end blocks were selected to form the minority component, whereas the temperatureresponsive PNIPAM midblock accounted for the majority component. The self-assembly and phase behavior in bulk of PS-b-PNIPAM-b-PS as well as selected blends with low molecular weight PNIPAM homopolymers were studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Classical lamellar, cylindrical, spherical, and bicontinuous double gyroid morphologies were observed in the dried state. In aqueous solutions, the glassy PS domains act as physical cross-links, and hydrogels were therefore formed. The bulk block copolymer morphology had a strong effect on the degree of swelling in aqueous solutions upon cooling below the coil-globule transition temperature of the PNIPAM midblock. Bulk compositions with spherical PS domains and PNIPAM continuous phase swelled in water up to 58 times by weight, whereas composition having cylindrical PS domains or bicontinous gyroid structure in bulk swelled 20 or 10 times by weight, respectively. Finally, lamellar compositions did not show any swelling. Composite membranes for separation studies were prepared by spin-coating thin films of PS-b-PNIPAM-b-PS on top of meso/macroporous polyacrylonitrile (PAN) support membrane. The permeability was measured as a function of temperature using aqueous mixture of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with several well-defined molecular weights. The permeability showed a temperature switchable on/off behavior, where higher permeability is obtained below transition temperature of PNIPAM, and the molecular cutoff limits for the PEG molecules are surprisingly lowsbetween 108 and 660 g/mol. The results encourage to further develop and optimize these materials for responsive nanofiltration applications.