Thermally responsive polymer-nanoparticle composites for biomedical applications

Thermally responsive polymer-metal nanoparticle composites couple the ability of certain metal nanoparticles to convert external stimuli to heat with polymers that display sharp property changes in response to temperature changes, allowing for external control over polymer properties. These systems have been investigated for a variety of biomedical applications, including drug delivery, microfluidic valve control, and cancer therapy. This article focuses on three different size scales of this system: bulk systems (> 1 mm), nano-or microscale systems, and individual particle coatings. These composite systems will continue to be widely researched in the future for their vast potential in various biomedical applications. (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2011 3 307-317 DOI:10.1002/wnan.138