Single-atom nanozymes

Sci Adv. 2019 May 3;5(5):eaav5490. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aav5490. eCollection 2019 May.

Abstract

Conventional nanozyme technologies face formidable challenges of intricate size-, composition-, and facet-dependent catalysis and inherently low active site density. We discovered a new class of single-atom nanozymes with atomically dispersed enzyme-like active sites in nanomaterials, which significantly enhanced catalytic performance, and uncovered the underlying mechanism. With oxidase catalysis as a model reaction, experimental studies and theoretical calculations revealed that single-atom nanozymes with carbon nanoframe-confined FeN5 active centers (FeN5 SA/CNF) catalytically behaved like the axial ligand-coordinated heme of cytochrome P450. The definite active moieties and crucial synergistic effects endow FeN5 SA/CNF with a clear electron push-effect mechanism, as well as the highest oxidase-like activity among other nanozymes (the rate constant is 70 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C) and versatile antibacterial applications. These suggest that the single-atom nanozymes have great potential to become the next-generation nanozymes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbon / chemistry
  • Catalysis
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Female
  • Ferrous Compounds / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Indoles / chemistry*
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks / chemistry*
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks / pharmacology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Oxidoreductases / chemistry
  • Pyridines / chemistry
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Wound Healing / drug effects
  • Zinc Compounds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Ferrous Compounds
  • Indoles
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks
  • Pyridines
  • Zinc Compounds
  • iron phthalocyanine
  • Carbon
  • Oxidoreductases