Thermoresponsive hybrid microgel particles with intrinsic optical and magnetic anisotropy

Abstract

We describe the synthesis of thermoresponsive, magnetic, optically anisotropic and orientable colloidal particles based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hybrid microgels (PNIPAMs) with an embedded ellipsoidal hematite (α-Fe2O3) core. Our ability to orient the particles with a magnetic field is demonstrated by small angle X-ray scattering and by optical polarization microscopy.