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The unique properties of metal nanoparticles (NPs) resulting from their localized surface plasmon resonance have led to the emergence and rapid development of promising scientific areas. One of these areas is thermoplasmonics, which is based on the ability of such NPs to effectively transform optical radiation into heat. We discuss the optical properties of noble metal NPs, the main approaches to their synthesis, as well as the latest advances of thermoplasmonics in the field of biomedicine. The focus of this review is on photothermal diagnostics and therapy (theranostics) of various diseases. Note that, in addition to theranostics of tumors, the prospects for the use of plasmonic NPs in cardiology, ophthalmology, the fight against bacterial and viral infections, and other biomedical fields have been analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of the enlargement of gold hydrosol nanoparticles adsorbed on the surfaces of glassy polymers (polystyrene and poly(2-vinylpyridine)) in mixed aqueous solution of chloroauric acid and hydroxylamine is studied. It is established that the character of this process depends on the intensity of metal-polymer interaction and the density of nanoparticle packing in an initial monolayer. At a high coverage of a poly(2-vinylpyridine) surface by “ seeding” gold particles, their rather uniform growth is observed, whereas, at low coverage, the enlargement of adsorbed particles, as well as the nucleation and growth of new particles take place. At the same time, new Au nanoparticles are not formed on the polystyrene surface in the enlargement process, even at low coverages by preliminarily deposited “seeding” hydrosol particles. Adsorbed gold particles can also be enlarged after their preliminary incorporation into the polystyrene surface layer. Such an incorporation (partial embedding) is ensured by the annealing of a system at a temperature between “surface” (T'g) and “ bulk” glass transition temperatures. In this case, theT'g value can be considerably decreased (up to room temperature) by the addition of small amounts of a homologue with a much lower molecular mass in the polystyrene matrix. Lateral conductivity of colloidal Au films formed on a poly(2-vinylpyridine) surface by the enlargement of adsorbed seeding particles is measured. According to these measurements, contacts providing the formation of conductive channels are formed in the process of nanoparticle enlargement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrated the possibility of preparing continuous silver shells on particles of polystyrene latex by enlarging adsorbed seeding metal nanoparticles in solution containing ascorbic acid and silver nitrate. It is shown that a strong batochromic shift of the maximum of surface plasmon resonance is observed for such composite structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]