A novel system was reported to realize the reversible self-assembly and disassembly of Au nanovesicles (NVs) driven by pH stimuli with commercially available organic molecules, 4-mercaptobenzonic acid (4-MBA) and oleylamine (OL). Through adjusting deprotonation and protonation of 4-MBA, Au NVs demonstrated a good reversible self-assembly behavior. As a proof-of-concept, Rhodamine B was loaded into the vesicles to demonstrate the reversible pH-responsive controlled release. 

Nanoscale, 2016 

TEM images of (A) self-assembled Au NVs, (B) disassembled individual Au NPs and (C) reassembled Au NVs. The inset in A is the TEM image of an individual Au NV. (D) UV-Vis absorption spectra of assembled Au NVs, disassembled individual Au NPs and original individual Au NPs. (E) Reversible changes on the SPR absorption peak of Au NVs and individual Au NPs in aqueous solution induced by addition of alkali and acid, respectively.