title: Exploring the amphiphilicity of PEGylated gold nanorods: mechanical phase transfer and self-assembly.
abstract: We introduce a mechanical approach to phase transfer of PEGylated gold nanorods. Amphiphilic PEG ligands can be switched between hydrophilic and hydrophobic states by applying mechanical force. PEG-GNRs in their hydrophobic state self-assemble into rings, a phenomenon previously observed only for GNRs capped with hydrophobic ligands.
authors.affiliation: The Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics, University at Buffalo-SUNY, Buffalo, New York 14260-3000, USA.
authors.forename: Maixian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wing-Cheung
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Atcha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kopwitthaya
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mark T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Swihart
authors.forename: Paras N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Prasad