This doctoral thesis explains the synthesis and characterization of novel smart hybrid
nanomaterials. Bastian Ebeling combines in this work synthetic polymers with inorganic
nanoparticles from silica or gold.The first chapters offer a comprehensive introduction to
basics of polymer science and the applied methodologies. In following chapters the author
describes in detail how he systematically tailored the polymers using reversible
addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) for combination with inorganic
nanoparticles.This work also unravels mechanistic thermodynamic and structural aspects of all
building blocks and reaction steps. The method described here is simple to perform and opens up
pathways to new sets of nanohybrid materials with potential applications as sensors in energy
conversion or catalysis. Readers will find a unique picture of the step-by step formation of
new complex nanomaterials. It offers polymer scientists a systematic guide to the formation and
synthesis of a new class of responsive nanomaterials.
