Leveraging mechanistic insight to design hydrolytic nanozymes

Abstract

Hydrolytic nanozymes have emerged as promising candidates for diverse applications across pharmaceuticals, chemicals, environmental remediation, food, and paper industries. Despite their potential, research on hydrolytic nanozymes remains significantly underdeveloped, accounting for only 14.4 % of all nanozyme studies (1256 papers out of 8737). A critical gap exists in understanding the catalytic mechanisms and design strategies of these nanozymes, hindering their theoretical advancement and practical utilization. This review aims to address this gap by systematically organizing and summarizing the catalytic mechanisms of hydrolytic nanozymes, categorized by structural composition and substrate type, along with the design approaches ranging from biomimetic strategies to the cutting-edge data-driven methods, providing theoretical insights to guide the rational design and efficient development of hydrolytic nanozymes. Furthermore, this review offers perspectives on the future prospects and challenges in the field, aiming to inspire further research and innovation in this rapidly advancing area.