Thermo-, pH-, and Light-Responsive Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid)–Au Hybrid Microgels Prepared by the in Situ Reduction Method Based on Au-Thiol Chemistry

Effect of Gold Nanoparticle Size on Regulated Catalytic Activity of Temperature-Responsive Polymer-Gold Nanoparticle Hybrid Microgels

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) possess attractive electronic, optical, and catalytic properties, enabling many potential applications. Poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm) is a temperature-responsive polymer that changes its hydrophilicity upon a slight temperature change, and combining PNIPAAm with AuNPs allows us to modulate the properties of AuNPs by temperature. In a previous study, we proposed a simpler method for designing PNIPAAm-AuNP hybrid microgels, which used an AuNP monomer with polymerizable groups. The size of AuNPs is the most important factor influencing their catalytic performance, and numerous studies have emphasized the importance of controlling the size of AuNPs by adjusting their stabilizer concentration. This paper focuses on the effect of AuNP size on the catalytic activity of PNIPAAm-AuNP hybrid microgels prepared via the copolymerization of N-isopropyl acrylamide and AuNP monomers with different AuNP sizes. To quantitatively evaluate the catalytic activity of the hybrid microgels, we monitored the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol using the hybrid microgels with various AuNP sizes. While the hybrid microgels with an AuNP size of 13.0 nm exhibited the highest reaction rate and the apparent reaction rate constant (kapp) of 24.2 × 10-3 s-1, those of 35.9 nm exhibited a small kapp of 1.3 × 10-3 s-1. Thus, the catalytic activity of the PNIPAAm-AuNP hybrid microgel was strongly influenced by the AuNP size. The hybrid microgels with various AuNP sizes enabled the reversibly temperature-responsive on-off regulation of the reduction reaction.

Correlating structural changes in thermoresponsive hydrogels to the optical response of embedded plasmonic nanoparticles

Stimuli-responsive microgels, composed of small beads with soft, deformable polymer networks swollen through a combination of synthetic control over the polymer and its interaction with water, form a versatile platform for development of multifunctional and biocompatible sensors. The interfacial structural variation of such materials at a nanometer length scale is essential to their function, but not yet fully comprehended. Here, we take advantage of the plasmonic response of a gold nanorod embedded in a thermoresponsive microgel (AuNR@PNIPMAm) to monitor structural changes in the hydrogel directly near the nanorod surface. By direct comparison of the plasmon response against measurements of the hydrogel structure from dynamic light scattering and nuclear magnetic resonance, we find that the microgel shell of batch-polymerized AuNR@PNIPMAm exhibits a heterogeneous volume phase transition reflected by different onset temperatures for changes in the hydrodyanmic radius (RH) and plasmon resonance, respectively. The new approach of contrasting plasmonic response (a measure of local surface hydrogel structure) with RH and relaxation times paves a new path to gain valuable insight for the design of plasmonic sensors based on stimuli-responsive hydrogels.

Pd Nanoparticle-Loaded Smart Microgel-Based Membranes as Reusable Catalysts

In this work, palladium-loaded smart membranes made by UV cross-linking of thermoresponsive microgels are prepared to obtain a reusable, catalytically active material which can, for example, be implemented in chemical reactors. The membranes are examined with respect to their coverage of a supporting mesh via atomic force microscopy measurements. Force indentation mapping was performed in the dried, collapsed state and in the swollen state in water to determine the Young modulus. Furthermore, we compare the catalytic activity of the membrane with the corresponding suspended colloidal nanoparticle microgel hybrids. For this purpose, the reduction of 4-nitrophenol is an established model reaction to quantify the catalytic activity by UV-vis spectroscopy. The membrane is embedded inside a continuous stirred tank reactor equipped for continuous monitoring of the reaction progress. Although catalysis with membranes shows lower catalytic activity than freely dispersed particles, membranes allow straightforward separation and recycling of the catalyst. The fabricated membranes in this work show no decrease in catalytic activity between several cycles, unlike free particles. The feasible and durable deposition of catalytically active inter-cross-linked microgel particles on commercial nylon meshes as supporting scaffolds, as demonstrated in this work, is promising for up-scaling of continuous industrial processes.

Methacrylic acid based microgels and hybrid microgels

Methacrylic acid based microgels have got much consideration in the last two decades because of their potential uses in different fields owing to their responsive behaviour towards external stimuli. Synthesis, properties and uses of methacrylic acid based microgels and their hybrids have been critically reviewed in this article. With minute change in external stimuli such as pH and ionic strength of medium, these microgels show quick swelling/deswelling reversibly. The methacrylic acid based microgels have been widely reported for applications in the area of nanotechnology, drug delivery, sensing and catalysis due to their responsive behaviour. A critical review of current research development in this field along with upcoming perception is presented here. This discussion is concluded with proposed probable future studies for additional growth in this field of research.

Polymer microgels for the stabilization of gold nanoparticles and their application in the catalytic reduction of nitroarenes in aqueous media

Polymer microgels containing a polystyrene core and poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) shell were synthesized in aqueous media following a free radical precipitation polymerization. Au nanoparticles were fabricated into the shell region of the core–shell microgels denoted as P(STY@NIPM) by the in situ reduction of chloroauric acid with sodium borohydride. Various characterization techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-visible) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for the characterization of Au–P(STY@NIPM). The catalytic potential of Au–P(STY@NIPM) toward the reductive reaction of 4-nitrophenol (4NP) under various reaction conditions was evaluated. The Arrhenius and Eyring parameters for the catalytic reduction of 4NP were determined to explore the process of catalysis. A variety of nitroarenes were converted successfully into their corresponding aminoarenes with good to excellent yields in the presence of the Au–P(STY@NIPM) system using NaBH₄ as a reductant. The Au–P(STY@NIPM) system was found to be an efficient and recyclable catalyst with no significant loss in its catalytic efficiency.

A core–shell microgel system was synthesized and used as a micro-reactor for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles. The resulting hybrid system has the ability to catalyze the reduction of various nitroarenes in aqueous media.

Chiral Plasmonic Ellipsoids: An Extended Mie-Gans Model

Mie-Gans theory optically characterizes ellipsoidal and by extension generally elongated nonchiral metal nanoparticles (MNPs) and is ubiquitous in verifying experimental results and predicting particle behavior. Recently, elongated chiral MNPs have garnered enthusiasm, but a theory to characterize their chiroptical behavior is lacking in the literature. In this Letter, we present an ab initio model for chiral ellipsoidal MNPs to address this shortcoming and demonstrate that it reduces to the general Mie-Gans model under nonchiral conditions, produces results that concur with state-of-the-art numerical simulations, and can accurately replicate recent experimental measurements. Furthermore, to gain physical insights, we analyze factors such as background medium permittivity and particle size that drive the chiroptical activity using two types of plasmonic chiral MNPs. We also demonstrate the utility of our model in metamaterial design. Generic features of our model can be extended to characterize similar elongated chiral MNPs, fueling many other variants of the current model.

Equilibrium swelling of multi-stimuli-responsive copolymer gels

Copolymer gels prepared by polymerization of thermo-responsive and anionic monomers demonstrate strong sensitivity to several triggers such as temperature, pH and ionic strength of aqueous solutions. For biomedical applications of these materials (as on-off switches in controlled drug delivery and release), fine tuning of their volume phase transition temperature (VPTT) and a sharp decay in degree of swelling upon transition from the swollen to the collapsed state are needed. These requirements are fulfilled under swelling of copolymer gels and microgels in water under acidic conditions, but are violated when tests are conducted under alkaline conditions or in aqueous solutions of salts with physiological salinity. A model is developed for equilibrium swelling of multi-stimuli-responsive copolymer gels in aqueous solutions with arbitrary pH and molar fractions of a monovalent salt. Unlike conventional approaches, the model accounts for secondary interactions between chains (hydrogen bonding) to describe the kinetics of aggregation of hydrophobic segments above VPTT. Material constants are determined by fitting experimental swelling diagrams on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-sodium acrylate) gels with various molar fractions of ionic monomers. The effects of temperature, pH and molar fraction of salt on the equilibrium degree of swelling below and above VPTT are studied numerically.

PNIPAM-immobilized gold-nanoparticles with colorimetric temperature-sensing and reusable temperature-switchable catalysis properties

The temperature-responsive core–shell hybrid nanoparticles PNIPAMs-AuNP have dual-functional applications as colorimetric temperature-sensors and reusable temperature-switchable catalysts.

Core-shell microgels as thermoresponsive carriers for catalytic palladium nanoparticles

Responsive core-shell microgels are promising systems for a stabilization of Pd nanoparticles and control of their catalytic activity. Here, poly-N-n-propylacrylamide (PNNPAM) was copolymerized with methacrylic acid to yield microgel core particles, which were subsequently coated with an additional, acid-free poly-N-isopropylmethacrylamide (PNIPMAM) shell. Both core and core-shell systems were used as pH- and temperature-responsive carrier systems for the incorporation of palladium nanoparticles. The embedded nanoparticles were found to have a uniform size distribution with diameters at around 20 nm. Their catalytic activity was investigated by following the kinetics of the reduction of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol using UV-vis spectroscopy. For the PNNPAM microgel core, the temperature dependence of the rate constant followed the Arrhenius equation, which is an unusual behaviour for thermoresponsive carrier systems but common for passive systems such as polyelectrolyte brushes. In contrast, the catalytic activity of nanoparticles embedded in microgel core-shell systems decreased drastically at the volume phase transition temperature (44 °C) of the PNIPMAM shell. Accordingly, a promising architecture of passive nanoparticle-carrying core and thermoresponsive shell was realized successfully.

Surface Structures, Particles, and Fibers of Shape-Memory Polymers at Micro-/Nanoscale

Shape-memory polymers (SMPs) are one kind of smart polymers and can change their shapes in a predefined manner under stimuli. Shape-memory effect (SME) is not a unique ability for specific polymeric materials but results from the combination of a tailored shape-memory creation procedure (SMCP) and suitable molecular architecture that consists of netpoints and switching domains. In the last decade, the trend toward the exploration of SMPs to recover structures at micro-/nanoscale occurs with the development of SMPs. Here, the progress of the exploration in micro-/nanoscale structures, particles, and fibers of SMPs is reviewed. The preparation method, SMCP, characterization of SME, and applications of surface structures, free-standing particles, and fibers of SMPs at micro-/nanoscale are summarized.

Hybrid Microgels for Catalytic and Photocatalytic Removal of Nitroarenes and Organic Dyes From Aqueous Medium: A Review

Polymer microgels loaded with inorganic nanoparticles have gained much attention as catalytic systems for reduction of toxic chemicals. Enhanced catalytic properties of hybrid microgels are related to the stimuli responsive nature of microgels and extraordinary stability of nanoparticles within network of polymer microgels. Catalytic properties of hybrid microgels can be tuned very easily by slight variation in environmental conditions. Herein we have reviewed catalytic reduction of toxic chemicals such as nitroarenes and organic dyes in the presence of appropriate hybrid microgel catalytic systems under different operating conditions of reaction. Recent advancements in catalytic behavior of hybrid microgels with special emphasis on their ability to catalytically degrade various toxic chemicals has been presented in this review.

Thermo-Sensitive Nanomaterials: Recent Advance in Synthesis and Biomedical Applications

Progress in nanotechnology has enabled us to open many new fronts in biomedical research by exploiting the peculiar properties of materials at the nanoscale. The thermal sensitivity of certain materials is a highly valuable property because it can be exploited in many promising applications, such as thermo-sensitive drug or gene delivery systems, thermotherapy, thermal biosensors, imaging, and diagnosis. This review focuses on recent advances in thermo-sensitive nanomaterials of interest in biomedical applications. We provide an overview of the different kinds of thermoresponsive nanomaterials, discussing their potential and the physical mechanisms behind their thermal response. We thoroughly review their applications in biomedicine and finally discuss the current challenges and future perspectives of thermal therapies.

Functional Microgels: Recent Advances in Their Biomedical Applications

Here, a spotlight is shown on aqueous microgel particles which exhibit a great potential for various biomedical applications such as drug delivery, cell imaging, and tissue engineering. Herein, different synthetic methods to develop microgels with desirable functionality and properties along with degradable strategies to ensure their renal clearance are briefly presented. A special focus is given on the ability of microgels to respond to various stimuli such as temperature, pH, redox potential, magnetic field, light, etc., which helps not only to adjust their physical and chemical properties, and degradability on demand, but also the release of encapsulated bioactive molecules and thus making them suitable for drug delivery. Furthermore, recent developments in using the functional microgels for cell imaging and tissue regeneration are reviewed. The results reviewed here encourage the development of a new class of microgels which are able to intelligently perform in a complex biological environment. Finally, various challenges and possibilities are discussed in order to achieve their successful clinical use in future.

Functional Stimuli-Responsive Gels: Hydrogels and Microgels

One strategy that has gained much attention in the last decades is the understanding and further mimicking of structures and behaviours found in nature, as inspiration to develop materials with additional functionalities. This review presents recent advances in stimuli-responsive gels with emphasis on functional hydrogels and microgels. The first part of the review highlights the high impact of stimuli-responsive hydrogels in materials science. From macro to micro scale, the review also collects the most recent studies on the preparation of hybrid polymeric microgels composed of a nanoparticle (able to respond to external stimuli), encapsulated or grown into a stimuli-responsive matrix (microgel). This combination gave rise to interesting multi-responsive functional microgels and paved a new path for the preparation of multi-stimuli "smart" systems. Finally, special attention is focused on a new generation of functional stimuli-responsive polymer hydrogels able to self-shape (shape-memory) and/or self-repair. This last functionality could be considered as the closing loop for smart polymeric gels.

DLS Setup for in Situ Measurements of Photoinduced Size Changes of Microgel-Based Hybrid Particles

Photoinduced size changes in microgel particles loaded with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were investigated with an extended multiangle dynamic light scattering (DLS) setup. The DLS setup was equipped with a conventional laser (λ = 633 nm) to determine the microgel particle size. Additionally, a laser (λ = 532 nm) is installed to study the photoresponsive behavior of the AuNP-microgel hybrids. The wavelength of 532 nm is close to the absorption maximum of the plasmon resonance of the AuNPs used in the present study (i.e. spherical AuNPs with a diameter of 14 nm). The extended DLS setup enables us to follow in situ the change in microgel size during irradiation. The light stimulus is directly correlated with the size changes of the hybrid particles and the photothermal effect depends on the intensity of the excitation laser. The increase in excitation laser intensity results in a size reduction of hybrid particles because of the ability of AuNPs to partially transform the absorbed photon energy into heat which is emitted into the surrounding microgel network.

Catalysis by Metallic Nanoparticles in Solution: Thermosensitive Microgels as Nanoreactors

Metallic nanoparticles have been used as catalysts for various reactions, and the huge literature on the subject is hard to overlook. In many applications, the nanoparticles must be affixed to a colloidal carrier for easy handling during catalysis. These “passive carriers” (e.g. dendrimers) serve for a controlled synthesis of the nanoparticles and prevent coagulation during catalysis. Recently, hybrids from nanoparticles and polymers have been developed that allow us to change the catalytic activity of the nanoparticles by external triggers. In particular, single nanoparticles embedded in a thermosensitive network made from poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) have become the most-studied examples of such hybrids: immersed in cold water, the PNIPAM network is hydrophilic and fully swollen. In this state, hydrophilic substrates can diffuse easily through the network, and react at the surface of the nanoparticles. Above the volume transition located at 32°C, the network becomes hydrophobic and shrinks. Now hydrophobic substrates will preferably diffuse through the network and react with other substrates in the reaction catalyzed by the enclosed nanoparticle. Such “active carriers”, may thus be viewed as true nanoreactors that open new ways for the use of nanoparticles in catalysis. In this review, we give a survey on recent work done on these hybrids and their application in catalysis. The aim of this review is threefold: we first review hybrid systems composed of nanoparticles and thermosensitive networks and compare these “active carriers” to other colloidal and polymeric carriers (e.g. dendrimers). In a second step we discuss the model reactions used to obtain precise kinetic data on the catalytic activity of nanoparticles in various carriers and environments. These kinetic data allow us to present a fully quantitative comparison of different nanoreactors. In a final section we shall present the salient points of recent efforts in the theoretical modeling of these nanoreactors. By accounting for the presence of a free-energy landscape for the reactants’ diffusive approach towards the catalytic nanoparticle, arising from solvent-reactant and polymeric shell-reactant interactions, these models are capable of explaining the emergence of all the important features observed so far in studies of nanoreactors. The present survey also suggests that such models may be used for the design of future carrier systems adapted to a given reaction and solvent.

Silver nanoparticle-loaded microgel-based etalons for H2O2sensing

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were generated inside the network structure of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-acrylic acid (pNIPAm-co-AAc) microgels that were sandwiched between two thin Au layers (15 nm) of an etalon. This was done by introducing Ag⁺ to the etalons composed of deprotonated microgels, followed by its subsequent reduction with NaBH₄. The resultant microgels were collected and then characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), verifying the loading of AgNPs with relatively uniform diameter (5–7 nm) within the microgels. Furthermore, the optical properties of the resultant etalons and their response to H₂O₂ were evaluated by reflectance spectroscopy. Specifically, upon the addition of H₂O₂, the AgNP-loaded etalons exhibited both a red shift in the position of the reflectance peaks and an increase in reflected wavelength intensity. We hypothesize that the dual signal response of the devices was a result of oxidative decomposition of the AgNPs, enabling the microgels to swell and for more light to be reflected (due to the loss of the light absorbing AgNPs). Finally, we showed that the AgNPs could be regenerated in the used etalons multiple times without a loss in performance. This work provides a cost-effective means to detect H₂O₂, which could be modified to sense a variety of other species of physiological and environmental importance through rationally loading other functional nanomaterials.

Silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-loaded poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-acrylic acid (pNIPAm-co-AAc)-based microgels were generated and used to make etalons. The etalons were shown to exhibit optical properties that depended on the concentration of H₂O₂ in solution.

Ammonia-modulated reversible gel–solution phase transition and fluorescence switch for a salicylhydrazide-based metal–organic gel

A fluorescence metal–organic gel was studied with its reversible gel–solution phase transition and fluorescence switch by the modulation of ammonia.

Temperature-Responsive Smart Nanocarriers for Delivery Of Therapeutic Agents: Applications and Recent Advances

Smart drug delivery systems (DDSs) have attracted the attention of many scientists, as carriers that can be stimulated by changes in environmental parameters such as temperature, pH, light, electromagnetic fields, mechanical forces, etc. These smart nanocarriers can release their cargo on demand when their target is reached and the stimulus is applied. Using the techniques of nanotechnology, these nanocarriers can be tailored to be target-specific, and exhibit delayed or controlled release of drugs. Temperature-responsive nanocarriers are one of most important groups of smart nanoparticles (NPs) that have been investigated during the past decades. Temperature can either act as an external stimulus when heat is applied from the outside, or can be internal when pathological lesions have a naturally elevated termperature. A low critical solution temperature (LCST) is a special feature of some polymeric materials, and most of the temperature-responsive nanocarriers have been designed based on this feature. In this review, we attempt to summarize recent efforts to prepare innovative temperature-responsive nanocarriers and discuss their novel applications.

Stimuli-responsive nanogel composites and their application in nanomedicine

Nanogels are nanosized crosslinked polymer networks capable of absorbing large quantities of water. Specifically, smart nanogels are interesting because of their ability to respond to biomedically relevant changes like pH, temperature, etc. In the last few decades, hybrid nanogels or composites have been developed to overcome the ever increasing demand for new materials in this field. In this context, a hybrid refers to nanogels combined with different polymers and/or with nanoparticles such as plasmonic, magnetic, and carbonaceous nanoparticles, among others. Research activities are focused nowadays on using multifunctional hybrid nanogels in nanomedicine, not only as drug carriers but also as imaging and theranostic agents. In this review, we will describe nanogels, particularly in the form of composites or hybrids applied in nanomedicine.

Reaction rate of a composite core–shell nanoreactor with multiple nanocatalysts

We present a detailed theory for the reaction rate constant of a core–shell nanoreactor, consisting of a solid core surrounded by a hydrogel layer with several small embedded nanocatalysts.

Breathing catalyst-supports: CO2 adjustable and magnetic recyclable “smart” hybrid nanoparticles

A CO₂ stimulated, magnetic recyclable catalyst with stable catalytic performance is designed and illustrated by the combination of recently developed chemistry on CO₂ responsive polymers and nanoparticle technique.

Engineering of silver nanoparticle fabricated poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) microgels for rapid catalytic reduction of nitrobenzene

Three different poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) [p(NIPAM-AA)] microgel samples were prepared using a precipitation polymerization method by varying the concentration of NIPAM and AA in aqueous medium. The microgels were used as microreactors to fabricate Ag nanoparticles (NPs) by in situ a reduction method. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-visible spectroscopy were used to characterize the pure and hybrid microgels. The hybrid microgels with different AA content were used as catalysts for reduction of nitrobenzene (NB) into aniline. The progress of the reaction was monitored by a UV-visible spectrophotometer. The results show that the value of the apparent rate constant for catalytic reduction of NB decreases from 0.431 min-1 to 0.227 min-1 by increasing AA content from 3 mol% to 7 mol%, respectively. Decrease in apparent rate constant with increase of AA content can be attributed to an increase in hydrophilicity with increase of AA contents of the microgels. The increase in induction period with increase of AA contents indicates that diffusion of NB towards the catalytic surface becomes difficult due to an increase of hydrophilicity.

Review on synthesis, properties, characterization, and applications of responsive microgels fabricated with gold nanostructures

In this article, the classification, synthesis, properties, and applications of responsive microgels fabricated with gold (Au) nanostructures have been systematically reviewed. Microspheres, core-shell, core-shell-shell, hollow rings, and yolk-shell are different types of hybrid microgels containing Au nanostructures that have been reported in the literature. Hybrid microgels have tunable properties of both Au nanomaterial and smart polymeric material. Due to this unique combination, hybrid microgels containing Au nanomaterial are potential candidates for applications in drug delivery, photothermal therapy, glucose sensing, insulin delivery, catalysis, photonics, and ultrasensitive analyte analysis. Recent research progress in the design, characterization, and applications of Au nanomaterial containing smart polymer microgels has been described here. Many gaps in the literature and future perspectives of Au nanomaterial-based hybrid microgels have been highlighted in this review, which will be helpful for the people working in this area to plan their future work.

Gold Nanorod-pNIPAM Hybrids with Reversible Plasmon Coupling: Synthesis, Modeling, and SERS Properties

The thermoresponsive optical properties of Au nanorod-doped poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (Au NR-pNIPAM) microgels with different Au NR payloads and aspect ratios are presented. Since the volume phase transition of pure pNIPAM microgels is reversible, the optical response reversibility of Au NR-pNIPAM hybrids is systematically analyzed. Besides, extinction cross-section and near-field enhancement simulations for Au NR-microgel hybrids are performed using a new numerical method based on the surface integral equation method of moments formulation (M3 solver). Additionally, the Au NR-microgel hybrid systems are expected to serve as excellent broadband surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates due to the temperature-controlled formation of hot spots and the tunable optical properties. The optical enhancing properties related to SERS are tested with three laser lines, evidencing excitation wavelength-dependent efficiency that can be easily controlled by either the aspect ratio (length/width) of the assembled Au NR or by the Au NR payload per microgel. Finally, the SERS efficiency of the prepared Au NR-pNIPAM hybrids is found to be stable for months.

In situ cross-linking of stimuli-responsive hemicellulose microgels during spray drying

Chemical cross-linking during spray drying offers the potential for green fabrication of microgels with a rapid stimuli response and good blood compatibility and provides a platform for stimuli-responsive hemicellulose microgels (SRHMGs). The cross-linking reaction occurs rapidly in situ at elevated temperature during spray drying, enabling the production of microgels in a large scale within a few minutes. The SRHMGs with an average size range of ∼ 1-4 μm contain O-acetyl-galactoglucomannan as a matrix and poly(acrylic acid), aniline pentamer (AP), and iron as functional additives, which are responsive to external changes in pH, electrochemical stimuli, magnetic field, or dual-stimuli. The surface morphologies, chemical compositions, charge, pH, and mechanical properties of these smart microgels were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, IR, zeta potential measurements, pH evaluation, and quantitative nanomechanical mapping, respectively. Different oxidation states were observed when AP was introduced, as confirmed by UV spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Systematic blood compatibility evaluations revealed that the SRHMGs have good blood compatibility. This bottom-up strategy to synthesize SRHMGs enables a new route to the production of smart microgels for biomedical applications.