Patent ID: 7923110

Claim:
A metal nanoparticle having a self-assembled monolayer on a surface thereof, the metal nanoparticle being prepared by forming the self-assembled monolayer including a terminal reactive group A on a surface of a metal nanoparticle, and introducing a functional group being degradable by the action of an acid or a base into the terminal reactive group A, wherein the self-assembled monolayer is formed of a compound represented by Formula 1, or formed of a compound represented by Formula 2 followed by introducing the terminal reactive group A into the self-assembled monolayer: X—Y-A Formula 1 wherein X is SH, NC, NH 2 , COOH, or phosphate; Y is a polyvalent C 1 -C 30 organic group; and A is selected from the group consisting of OH, COOH, COCl, NH 2 , NO 2 , methoxy, ethoxy, and a halogen atom, and X—Y′ Formula 2 wherein X is SH, NC, NH 2 , COOH, or phosphate; and Y′ is a monovalent C 1 -C 30 or a polyvalent C 1 -C 30 organic group.