The noble metal nanoparticles (NMNPs) including gold or silver nanoparticles loaded intelligent hybrid microgels are the advanced functional materials which combine the unique properties of both the NMNPs and intelligent microgels. Their prominent characteristic is that a variety of properties of the loaded NMNPs within the microgels can be tuned by external stimulus, or the external stimulus can be sensed by determining the change of their properties. Based on their morphological structure, the reported gold or silver nanoparticles loaded intelligent hybrid microgels are classified into four types in this paper, including randomly filling type, core-shell structure type, surface covering type and sandwich structure type. Their respective features and main synthesis methods are introduced. Additionally, the characterization methods of their structure and composition, their stimulus responsiveness, tunable localized surface plasmon resonance, surface enhancement effect and fluorescence property are reviewed. The application research progress of the intelligent hybrid microgels in smart microreactor, microsensor, the substrate of surface enhanced Raman scattering, drug delivery carrier and biological imaging are also presented. Finally, their research direction and development outlook are commented.

Contents
1 Introduction
2 Synthesis methods of AuNP or AgNP loaded intelligent hybrid microgels
2.1 Randomly filling type
2.2 Core-shell structure type
2.3 Surface covering type
2.4 Sandwich structure type
3 The structure, composition and their characterization methods of AuNP or AgNP loaded intelligent hybrid microgels
3.1 The morphological structure and its characterization methods
3.2 The surface pattern and its characterization methods
3.3 The content of the loaded AuNP or AgNP within the intelligent hybrid microgels and its analysis methods
3.4 The hydrodynamic diameter of the intelligent hybrid microgels and its measuring method
3.5 The interaction between the NMNPs and the macromolecular chains within the microgels and its characterization methods
4 Properties of AuNP or AgNP loaded intelligent hybrid microgels
4.1 Stimulus responsive property
4.2 Tunable localized surface plasmon resonance optical property
4.3 Tunable surface electric field enhancement effect
4.4 Tunable fluorescence property
4.5 Photothermal effect and light stimulus responsive property
5 Applications of AuNP or AgNP loaded intelligent hybrid microgels
5.1 Smart microreactor
5.2 The substrate of surface enhanced Raman scattering
5.3 Microsensor
5.4 Drug controlled release and photothermal therapy
5.5 Biological imaging
6 Conclusions and outlooks