The optical properties of metal nanoparticles, particularly their localized surface plasmon effects, are well established. These plasmonic nanoparticles can respond to their surroundings or even influence the optical processes (for example, absorption, fluorescence and Raman scattering) of molecules located at their surface. As a result, plasmonic nanoparticles have been developed for multiple purposes, ranging from the detection of chemicals and biological molecules to light-harvesting enhancement in solar cells. By dispersing the nanoparticles in polymers and creating a hybrid material, the robustness, responsiveness and flexibility of the system are enhanced while preserving the intrinsic properties of the nanoparticles. In this Review, we discuss the fabrication and applications of plasmonic polymer nanocomposites, focusing on applications in optical data storage, sensing and imaging and photothermal gels for in vivo therapy. Within the nanocomposites, the nanoporosity of the matrix, the overall mechanical stability and the dispersion of the nanoparticles are important parameters for achieving the best performance. In the future, translation of these materials into commercial products rests on the ability to scale up the production of plasmonic polymer nanocomposites with tailored optical features.

金属纳米粒子的光学性质，特别是其局部表面等离子体激元效应，已得到很好的确立。这些等离激元纳米粒子可以响应其周围环境，甚至影响位于其表面的分子的光学过程（例如吸收，荧光和拉曼散射）。结果，已经开发出用于多种目的的等离激元纳米颗粒，其范围从化学物质和生物分子的检测到太阳能电池中光收集的增强。通过将纳米颗粒分散在聚合物中并创建杂化材料，可以增强系统的坚固性，响应性和灵活性，同时保留纳米颗粒的内在特性。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了等离子体聚合物纳米复合材料的制备和应用，专注于在光学数据存储，传感和成像以及用于体内治疗的光热凝胶中的应用。在纳米复合材料中，基质的纳米孔隙度，整体机械稳定性和纳米颗粒的分散性是获得最佳性能的重要参数。将来，将这些材料转化为商业产品取决于扩大具有定制光学功能的等离激元聚合物纳米复合材料生产的能力。