Volume 59, Issue 7 pp. 2565-2576
Minireview

When Nanozymes Meet Single-Atom Catalysis

Lei Jiao

Lei Jiao

Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensing Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 P.R. China

Search for more papers by this author
Hongye Yan

Hongye Yan

Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensing Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 P.R. China

Search for more papers by this author
Yu Wu

Yu Wu

Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensing Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 P.R. China

Search for more papers by this author
Prof. Wenling Gu

Prof. Wenling Gu

Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensing Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 P.R. China

Search for more papers by this author
Prof. Chengzhou Zhu

Corresponding Author

Prof. Chengzhou Zhu

Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensing Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079 P.R. China

Search for more papers by this author
Dr. Dan Du

Dr. Dan Du

School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, 99164 USA

Search for more papers by this author
Prof. Yuehe Lin

Corresponding Author

Prof. Yuehe Lin

School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, 99164 USA

Search for more papers by this author
First published: 17 June 2019
Citations: 539

Graphical Abstract

Single-atom nanozymes contain atomically active sites and they are similar to natural metalloenzymes; they hold great promise in sensing, degradation of organic pollutants, and in therapeutic applications. Moreover, single-atom catalysts help to unravel structure–activity relationships and thereby uncover the nature of biocatalysts at a single-atom scale.

Abstract

Nanomaterials with enzyme-like activities, coined nanozymes, have been researched widely as they offer unparalleled advantages in terms of low cost, superior activity, and high stability. The complex structure and composition of nanozymes has led to extensive investigation of their catalytic sites at an atomic scale, and to an in-depth understanding of the biocatalysis occurring. Single-atom catalysts (SACs), characterized by atomically dispersed active sites, have provided opportunities for mimicking metalloprotease and for bridging the gap between natural enzymes and nanozymes. In this Minireview, we illustrate the unique properties of nanozymes and we discuss recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, and applications of SACs. Subsequently, we outline the impressive progress made in single-atom nanozymes and we discuss their applications in sensing, degradation of organic pollutants, and in therapeutic roles. Finally, we present the major challenges and opportunities remaining for a successful marriage of nanozymes and SACs.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.