RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Defect-induced activity enhancement of enzyme-encapsulated metal-organic frameworks revealed in microfluidic gradient mixing synthesis
JF Science Advances
JO Sci Adv
FD American Association for the Advancement of Science
SP eaax5785
DO 10.1126/sciadv.aax5785
VO 6
IS 5
A1 Hu, Chong
A1 Bai, Yunxiu
A1 Hou, Miao
A1 Wang, Yisu
A1 Wang, Licheng
A1 Cao, Xun
A1 Chan, Chiu-Wing
A1 Sun, Han
A1 Li, Wanbo
A1 Ge, Jun
A1 Ren, Kangning
YR 2020
UL http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/5/eaax5785.abstract
AB Mimicking the cellular environment, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising for encapsulating enzymes for general applications in environments often unfavorable for native enzymes. Markedly different from previous researches based on bulk solution synthesis, here, we report the synthesis of enzyme-embedded MOFs in a microfluidic laminar flow. The continuously changed concentrations of MOF precursors in the gradient mixing on-chip resulted in structural defects in products. This defect-generating phenomenon enables multimodal pore size distribution in MOFs and therefore allows improved access of substrates to encapsulated enzymes while maintaining the protection to the enzymes. Thus, the as-produced enzyme-MOF composites showed much higher (~one order of magnitude) biological activity than those from conventional bulk solution synthesis. This work suggests that while microfluidic flow synthesis is currently underexplored, it is a promising strategy in producing highly active enzyme-MOF composites.