Nanozymes

Abstract

Nanozymes represent a new generation of artificial enzymes that provide a way to perform biological catalysis using nanomaterials. In 2007, Yan and co-workers discovered for the first time that ferromagnetic nanoparticles exhibited peroxidase-like activity,[1] which paved the way for the development of nanozymes. In 2013, Wei and Wang used the term “nanozymes” to define nanomaterials with enzyme-like properties as next generation artificial enzymes.[2] Owing to their unique features, including high activity, high stability, tunability of activity, multifunctionality, and low cost for scale-up, nanozymes have attracted great attention compared to enzymes, traditional enzyme mimics, and common nanomaterials. In the past 16 years, nanozymes have become an emerging interdisciplinary field of nanotechnology, catalysis and biomedicine. To date, more than 420 laboratories from 42 countries have reported over 1200 types of nanozymes and published over 10 000 papers[3] (see Figure 1). Now, nanozymes can be rationally designed instead of being produced by trial-and-error. Excitingly, some nanozymes show comparable or even better catalytic performance compared to their nature counterparts. Consequently, nanozymes have shown great potential in the fields of functional nanomaterials, biomedicine, new energy, green synthesis, environmental treatment, etc. Nanozymes were selected in the Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) in 2022.[4] This special issue brings some of the most advanced progress in the field of nanozymes. There are 25 papers, including 9 Reviews, 4 Perspectives, and 12 Research Articles, with topics covering from rational design and modulation to mechanisms and potential applications. We believe that such a special issue will not only accelerate the development of the nanozyme field but also attract more researchers to explore the hidden talents of nanomaterials for broad applications. Prof. Juewen Liu from University of Waterloo has contributed a perspective introducing the evolution of nanozyme definition and how to determine the activity (article number 2211041). Prof. Xingfa Gao from National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), discusses the reaction mechanisms and kinetics of nanozymes, especially from the theoretical calculations (article number 2211151). In addition, unique features of nanozymes are summarized. For instance, Prof. Ning Gu and Prof. Yu Zhang from Southeast University summarize the progress of multienzyme-like features of nanozymes (article number 2211210). Interestingly, Prof. Lianbing Zhang from Northwestern Polytechnical University presents a manganese-based nanozyme with cold-adaptability to catalyze the reaction under low temperature (article number 2206421). The engineering, improvement and optimization of catalytic performances regarding the activity and selectivity are important for the field of nanozymes, which connects the fundamental research and translational applications. Prof. Xinglu Huang from Nankai University presents a promising machine-learning assisted strategy for the rational design of new nanozymes (article number 2210848). Meanwhile, Prof. Xiaogang Qu from Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, CAS presents biosystem-inspired strategies for nanozymes design by leveraging the structure of active center of natural enzymes, simulating the behavior changes of natural enzymes in the catalytic process or mimicking the specific biological processes or living organisms (article number 2211147). Prof. Yuehe Lin from Washington State University present a strategy using phosphorus modulation to optimize iron single-atom nanozymes (article number 2209633). In addition, surface engineering is also an important route to improve the nanozyme performance. Prof. Sudipta Seal from University of Central Florida presents the fundamental surface chemistry processes and their implications in