A trifunctional surface ligand-directed general synthesis of 2D MOF hybrid nanozymes for customizable applications

Abstract

Two-dimensional metal–organic frameworks (2DMOFs)-based hybrid nanozymes integrate the excellent catalytic activity of 2DMOFs with intriguing properties of other functional nanomaterials, offering great opportunities in biosensing and catalysis applications. However, the versatile synthesis of 2DMOF-based hybrid nanozymes remains challenging due to the difficulty in precisely controlling interactions between 2DMOFs and other functional nanocomponents. In this work, a trifunctional surface ligand-mediated strategy was developed to rationalize these interactions and promote the general synthesis of 2DMOF hybrid nanozymes. The surface ligand not only prevents the nanocomponents from self-aggregation and keeps 2DMOF monodispersed to form ultrathin nanosheets, but also drives the assembly of 2DMOF and nanocomponent to form composite nanostructures. Using this strategy, a series of customizable hybrid nanozymes exhibiting synergistically catalytic activity, recyclability, cascade catalysis, and photo-enhanced catalysis were fabricated, respectively. Moreover, these hybrid nanozymes displayed excellent performance in H₂O₂ detection, glucose sensing, and pollutant degradation. The successful demonstration of a general and facile strategy for synthesizing two-dimensional metal–organic framework (2D MOF) hybrid nanozymes paves the way for the development of 2D MOF-based nanomaterials and nanozymes with customizable functions. These materials hold significant potential in various applications, including catalysis, biosensing, disease diagnosis, and energy conversion.