Thermosensitive Au‐PNIPA Yolk–Shell Nanoparticles with Tunable Selectivity for Catalysis

Selectivity in nanoreactors: A hybrid yolk–shell nanostructure that contains gold nanoparticles in the core and thermosensitive microgel poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) as shell is presented. The catalytic selectivity of Au-PNIPA nanoparticles for the reduction of hydrophilic 4-nitrophenol and more hydrophobic nitrobenzene with NaBH4 can be tuned through the volume transition of PNIPA shell (see picture).