Functional Polymers Modified Plasmonic Nanoparticles: Preparation, Assembly and Stimuli Responses

Plasmonic nanoparticles are important building blocks in modern nanotechnology due to their merits such as excellent size/shape control, unique optical and catalytic properties. However, it is the surface ligands which usually play an essential role in determining their colloidal stability and functional versatility, among which, smart polymers are extremely intriguing because it allows plasmonic nanoparticles to respond to external stimuli. In this thesis, new phenomena and engineering designs are demonstrated based on smart polymers modified individual plasmonic building blocks and their assemblies and these findings will pave the way towards smart plasmonics with better designs and novel properties.