Single-layer HNb3O8 with strong and nearby Lewis and Brønsted acid sites boosts amide bond hydrolysis for urease mimicking.

Urea pollution is a growing environmental concern, and its removal via catalytic hydrolysis is challenging due to the resonance-stabilized amide bonds. In nature, this reaction is catalyzed by ureases in many soil bacteria. However, the remedy of this problem with natural enzymes is not feasible as they are easily denatured and require high costs for both preparation and storage. Given this, the development of nanomaterials bearing enzyme-like activity (nanozymes) with advantages such as low production cost, simple storage, and pH/thermal stability has attracted much attention over the past decade. As inspired by the mechanism of urease-catalyzed urea hydrolysis, the co-presence of Lewis acid (LA) and Brønsted acid (BA) sites is imperative to proceed with this reaction. Herein, layered HNb3O8 samples with intrinsic BA sites were adopted for investigation. The layer reduction of this material to few-/single layers can expose Nb sites with various LA strengths depending on the degree of NbO6 distortion. Among the catalysts examined, single-layer HNb3O8 bearing strong LA and BA sites displays the best hydrolytic activity towards acetamide and urea. This sample with high thermal stability was found to outperform urease at temperatures higher than 50 °C. The acidity-activity correlation established in this study is believed to guide the future design of industrial catalysts to remediate urea pollution.

Facet-Dependent Activity of CeO2 Nanozymes Regulate the Fate of Human Neural Progenitor Cell via Redox Homeostasis.

Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) therapy, a promising therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases, has a huge challenge to ensure high survival rate and neuronal differentiation rate. Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles exhibit multienzyme mimetic activities and have shown the capability of regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is a pivotal mediator for intracellular redox homeostasis in NPCs, regulating biological processes including differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. In the present study, the role of facet-dependent CeO2-mediated redox homeostasis in regulating self-renewal and differentiation of NPCs is reported for the first time. The cube-, rod-, and octahedron-shaped CeO2 nanozymes with different facets are prepared. Among the mentioned nanozymes, the cube enclosed by the (100) facet exhibits the highest CAT-like activity, causing it to provide superior protection to NPCs from oxidative stress induced by H2O2; meanwhile, the octahedron enclosed by the (111) facet with the lowest CAT-like activity induces the most ROS production in ReNcell CX cells, which promotes neuronal differentiation by activated AKT/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin pathways. A further mechanistic study indicated that the electron density of the surface Ce atoms changed continuously with different crystal facets, which led to their different CAT-like activity and modulation of redox homeostasis in NPCs. Altogether, the different surface chemistry and atomic architecture of active sites on CeO2 exert modulation of redox homeostasis and the fate of NPCs.

A robust photocatalyst of Au25@ZIF-8@TiO2-ReP with dual photoreductive sites to promote photoelectron utilization in H2O splitting to H2 and CO2 reduction to CO.

Sustaining long-term chemical or photochemical stability of a homogeneous molecular catalyst remains a significant challenge. We report a remarkable improvement of the activity and stability of a Au25@ZIF-8@TiO2-ReP catalyst via composition engineering with double redox active sites of Au25 NCs and a Re(i) complex for H2 and CO evolution to promote electron utilization.