Nanoparticles That "Remember" Temperature

Abstract

Photoresponsive gold nanoparticles dispersed in a solid/frozen matrix provide a basis for sensors that “remember” whether the sample has ever exceeded the melting temperature of the matrix. The operation of these sensors rests on the ability to photoinduce metastable electric dipoles on NP surfaces – upon melting, these dipoles drive NP aggregation, precipitation, and crosslinking. These events are manifested by a pronounced color change.