A simple in-situ synthesis route for gold nanoparticles (NPs) was developed to realize multifunctions for
silk fabrics. The gold NPs were prepared in a heated solution containing white silk fabric samples. The
silk fabrics were colored red and brown by the gold NPs because of their localized surface plasmon
resonance (LSPR) property. Gold nanospheres on silk were obtained at a low gold content, and gold
nanoplates were synthesized as the gold content increased. The silk fabrics treated with gold NPs showed
good light fastness. Moreover, the gold NPs endowed silk fabrics with strong antibacterial activity,
excellent UV protection property and enhanced thermal conductivity.