Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) coated gold nanoparticles as colourimetric temperature and salt sensors

Abstract

Thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) coated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are reported having residual citrate groups on the surface resulting from their synthesis via the Turkevich method. These PNIPAM coated AuNPs have dual stabilisation by the polymer chains and the charges, which we exploit for the development of temperature and salt sensors of which the sensing regime can be tuned by variation of salt concentration and temperature, respectively.