title: Photodeformable spherical hybrid nanoparticles.
abstract: We report the first synthesis of spherical nanoparticles of a bridged polysilsesquioxane. The hard, brittle nanoparticles are prepared by a simple sol-gel polymerization without surfactants or templates. Particle size ranges from 50 to 100 nm. The organic component of these hybrid nanoparticles is composed of a photolabile coumarin dimer. Irradiation with UV light dissociates the photodimer resulting in rupture of the cross-links and subsequent deformation and eventual "melting" of the nanoparticles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Loy
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Shea