Polymer Brush/Metal Nanoparticle Hybrids for Optical Sensor Applications: from Self-Assembly to Tailored Functions and Nanoengineering

This review article summarizes the progress of research in the field ofpolymer brush/metal nanoparticle hybrid materials. We will discuss the mutualinfluence of polymer brush matrix and particles. Self-assembly of particles withinpolymer brushes, and ways to control the loading and location of nanoparticlesinside polymer brushes will be described, as well as the possibility to use thebrush templates as nanoreactors to generate metal nanoparticles. The combination of stimuli-responsive polymer brushes and nanoparticles exhibiting surface plasmon resonance, such as gold or silver, enables the design of opticalsensors based on reversible variations of the brush conformation. Sensing devices are capable of detecting avariety of extrinsic variations in their surrounding enviroments. The progress in the development of such optical sensors usingbrush/particle hybrids will be discussed in more detail.