{
  "abstract": "Chiral plasmonic nanoparticles derive strong chiroptical responses sensitive from their corrugated, high-curvature surfaces, but these same features are thermodynamically unstable. Surface functionalization using macromolecules could broaden their utility by enabling improved colloidal compatibility, secondary functionalization, stimuli responsiveness and and assembly into higher-order structures. However, as the chiroptically active surface feactures are often only a few nanometer in size, inadequate size matching leads to structural instability, causing particle surfaces to flatten and consequently diminishing their chiroptical properties. Here, we show that chain-length-selective polymer functionalization stabilizes the fine groove structures of chiral gold nanorods. We identify a threshold behavior of hydrodynamic diameter below which polymer coils can penetrate and anchor within the grooves, preserving structural integrity and chiroptical activities. Guided by this principle, we establish a sequential functionalization strategy using polymers of two distinct sizes to produce chiral AuNRs with stable chiroptical performance. Our results establish a general design rule for integrating versatile macromolecular architectures with chiral nanoparticles and expand the engineering space for nano-optical applications.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Biointerfaces Institute",
    "University of Michigan",
    "Department of Chemical Engineering",
    "Leibniz Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V.",
    "Center of Complex Particle Systems (COMPASS",
    "EMAT",
    "University of Antwerp",
    "NANOlight Center of Excellence",
    "Sustainable Materials and Chemistry, Department of Wood Technology and Wood-based Composites",
    "Georg-August-Universität Göttingen",
    "Institute of Physical Chemistry",
    "Department of Materials Science and Engineering"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2,
        3,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Yingying Cai",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6556-9324"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5,
        6,
        7
      ],
      "name": "Anjana Kannan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Jessica Ma"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8,
        9
      ],
      "name": "Qun Song"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        10,
        9
      ],
      "name": "Yuwen Peng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8,
        9
      ],
      "name": "Kai Zhang",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5783-946X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5,
        6,
        7
      ],
      "name": "Sara Bals",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4249-8017"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2,
        4,
        11
      ],
      "name": "Nicholas A. Kotov",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6864-5804"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c3byf0fr3hknz.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15009141/v1",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "c3byf0fr3hknz",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009141/v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2504|Gold and Silver Nanoparticles Synthesis and Applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7213865688",
  "pdf_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/pdf/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009141/v1",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-21",
  "publisher": "American Chemical Society (ACS)",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c3byf0fr3hknz.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
      "native_id": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15009141",
      "source": "chemrxiv",
      "url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009141/v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:2504|Gold and Silver Nanoparticles Synthesis and Applications",
      "subfield": "materials-polymers"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Macromolecular Size Matching in Stabilizing Corrugated Chiral Plasmonic Nanostructures",
  "title_text": "Macromolecular Size Matching in Stabilizing Corrugated Chiral Plasmonic Nanostructures",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c3byf0fr3hknz",
  "venue": "ChemRxiv",
  "versions": []
}