lasmon actuated capsules provide a transformative platform for cargo delivery systems.

Methods {#Sec9}
=======

Ligand synthesis {#Sec10}
----------------

Our organic ligand exhibits thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior. When heated, it transitions from a smectic to nematic, and then from a nematic to isotropic phase, as observed in Figure [S3](#MOESM1){ref-type="media"}. Our functionalized ligands are designed to possess both rigid and flexible segments. The rigid segment, which contains a mesogenic group, contains a relatively rigid rod-like structure. The flexible segment is composed of a long alkyl chain with or without an amine group; the presence of an amine substituent on the chain allows the ligand to attach to the surface of gold nanoparticles. Hence, the flexible segment provides free rotation and fluidity that encourages a close packing of NPs, as well as structural stabilization of our NAMs (Figure [S1](#MOESM1){ref-type="media"}). The synthesis of the ligand (**S8**) is modeled on prior publications^[@CR43],[@CR44]^ with improvements that are explained in detail in the Supporting Information. The longest linear synthetic sequence consists of five steps (Figure [S6](#MOESM1){ref-type="media"}).

Microscopy and spectroscopic methods {#Sec11}
------------------------------------

Leica DM2500P microscope in the transmission mode with a Leica 63x (NA = 0.80) objective and a Q-image Retiga camera is mounted on the microscope. Polarized optical microscopy and Fluorescence microscopy (reflection) are also carried out on the same microscope. For fluorescence imaging of encapsulated dye, Lumogen F Red (BASF) with a peak emission at 613 nm, we use a 515--560 nm band-pass filter with white-light mercury lamp illumination. Emission was detected using a 580 nm dichroic mirror and a 590 nm long pass filter. Leica DM2500P microscope is used for bright field, cross-polarized, fluorescence images of the NAMs.

Zeiss Gemini SEM 500 instrument operating at 3 kV and 10 kV was used to validate th