We have prepared and studied silver nanoparticles functionalized with ligands based on lactic acid derivatives. Several types of hybrid systems that differed in the size of silver nanoparticles as well as the length of surface ligands were analyzed. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation provided information about the size and shape of nanoparticles and proved good homogeneity of studied systems. By dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements, we have measured the size distribution of nanoparticle systems. Plasmonic resonance was detected at around 450 nm. For two hybrid systems, the mesomorphic behaviour has been demonstrated by x-ray measurements. The observed thermotropic liquid crystalline phases reveal lamellar character. We have proposed a model based on self-assembly of intercalated liquid crystalline ligands.
Keywords: liquid crystals; plasmonic; self-assembly; silver nanoparticles.