Hence, the disintegration of CTAB structures on Au and CNFs surfaces occurred. Typically, the destruction of the surfactant shell upon nanoparticles' transfer to EtOH causes their immediate aggregation. However, here, cellulose scaffold replaced, to some extent, CTAB bilayer in its protective role and ensured the stability of AuNRs, preserving the material's structural integrity (Figure ) and optical properties (Figure ). Once Au nanocrystals' surface is free from the insulating CTAB shell, nanoparticles become more accessible to physical and chemical processes. Thus, our approach enables precise optical addressing of the plasmon-related phenomena in the resulting material. The proposed method of AuNRs stabilization in EtOH does not depend on the size or shape of AuNPs and is easy to replicate. The as-prepared Au-CNFs pre-composite served as a platform for further impregnation with the photochromic dye of choice. We used a model photochrome, AzoGly (Figure ), in the form of salt to promote interactions between its protonated end group, -𝑁𝐻 3 + , and -𝐶𝑂𝑂 -groups of CNFs (Figure stage IV). Due to the solvent transfer, well-dispersed Au-decorated CNFs were accessible for dye sorption during an overnight incubation step (Figure ). CNFs are rich in -𝐶𝑂𝑂 -groups and, hence, trifluoroacetate counterion (TFA -) of azobenzene salt does not remain in the composite. We rationally assume that TFA -is entirely removed during the purification step.