Controlling Self‐Assembly of Nanoparticles Using Light

Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit a wide range of fascinating physicochemical properties, many of which can be controlled by modulating the NP–NP coupling. Controlling the self-assembly of NPs using light has traditionally been achieved by functionalizing their surfaces with monolayers of photoswitchable molecules, which can be reversibly isomerized between two or more states upon exposure to different wavelengths of light. NPs whose assembly can be controlled by light in a reversible fashion can find interesting applications. The chapter deals with systems comprising mixtures of non-photoswitchable NPs and small-molecule photoacids and photobases. Examples of light-controlled self-assembly of NPs hitherto reported have been categorized into six distinct approaches. These are: functionalizing NPs with monolayers of photoswitchable molecules, light-controlled adsorption/desorption of photoswitchable molecules onto NPs, and light-induced electron transfer between the particle's inorganic core and the NP-bound ligands.