Issue 34, 2018

Shape-dependent thermo-plasmonic effect of nanoporous gold at the nanoscale for ultrasensitive heat-mediated remote actuation

Abstract

Nanoporous gold (NPG) promises efficient light-to-heat transformation, yet suffers limited photothermal conversion efficiency owing to the difficulty in controlling its morphology for the direct modulation of thermo-plasmonic properties. Herein, we showcase a series of shape-controlled NPG nanoparticles with distinct bowl- (NPG-B), tube- (NPG-T) and plate-like (NPG-P) structures for quantitative temperature regulation up to 140 °C in <1 s using laser irradiation. Notably, NPG-B exhibits the highest photothermal efficiency of 68%, which is >12 and 39 percentage points better than those of other NPG shapes (NPG-T, 56%; NPG-P, 49%) and Au nanoparticles (29%), respectively. We attribute NPG-B's superior photothermal performance to its >13% enhanced light absorption cross-section compared to other Au nanostructures. We further realize an ultrasensitive heat-mediated light-to-mechanical “kill switch” by integrating NPG-B with a heat-responsive shape-memory polymer (SMP/NPG-B). This SMP/NPG-B hybrid is analogous to a photo-triggered mechanical arm, and can be activated swiftly in <4 s simply by remote laser irradiation. Achieving remotely-activated “kill switch” is critical in case of emergencies such as gas leaks, where physical access is usually prohibited or dangerous. Our work offers valuable insights into the structural design of NPG for optimal light-to-heat conversion, and creates opportunities to formulate next-generation smart materials for on-demand and multi-directional responsiveness.

Graphical abstract: Shape-dependent thermo-plasmonic effect of nanoporous gold at the nanoscale for ultrasensitive heat-mediated remote actuation

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
19 May 2018
Accepted
07 Aug 2018
First published
08 Aug 2018

Nanoscale, 2018,10, 16005-16012

Shape-dependent thermo-plasmonic effect of nanoporous gold at the nanoscale for ultrasensitive heat-mediated remote actuation

Z. Yang, X. Han, H. K. Lee, G. C. Phan-Quang, C. S. L. Koh, C. L. Lay, Y. H. Lee, Y. Miao, T. Liu, I. Y. Phang and X. Y. Ling, Nanoscale, 2018, 10, 16005 DOI: 10.1039/C8NR04053B

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