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The assembly of preformed gold nanoparticles ( AuNPs) onto the thermoresponsive poly( N-isopropylacrylamide) ( PNIPAM)-based microgels was achieved on the basis of the driving force of Au-thiol chemistry. The loading amount of AuNPs can be controlled by varying the ratio of AuNPs relative to PNIPAM-based microgels. The as-prepared PNIPAM/Au hybrid microgels showed well-defined reversible swelling/deswelling transition in response to temperature, which can be employed to tune the plasmonic property of hybrid microgels. As the temperature was increased, the position of localized surface plasmon resonance ( LSPR) band red-shifted to some extent mainly due to the increase in the local refractive index around AuNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucurbituril (CB), a well-known macrocyclic cavitand, has been used extensively to construct supramolecular aggregates. Based on host-guest intertactions, an adamantanyl derivative guest molecule was designed and synthesized to prepare a supramolecular amphiphile with cucurbit[7]uril. In aqueous solution, the cucurbit[7]uril based supramolecular amphiphiles self-assemble into well-defined vesicles, and their disassembly can be achieved by addition of excess competitive agent 1-adamantanamine hydrochloride. This vesicle functions as a new nanocapsule to encapsulate molecules within its hollow cavity. Through competitive disassembly of supramolecular amphiphiles, the vesicles behave as a novel drug delivery carrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]