Nickel-Platinum Nanoparticles as Peroxidase Mimics with a Record High Catalytic Efficiency

J Am Chem Soc. 2021 Feb 24;143(7):2660-2664. doi: 10.1021/jacs.0c12605. Epub 2021 Jan 27.

Abstract

While nanoscale mimics of peroxidase have been extensively developed over the past decade or so, their catalytic efficiency as a key parameter has not been substantially improved in recent years. Herein, we report a class of highly efficient peroxidase mimic-nickel-platinum nanoparticles (Ni-Pt NPs) that consist of nickel-rich cores and platinum-rich shells. The Ni-Pt NPs exhibit a record high catalytic efficiency with a catalytic constant (Kcat) as high as 4.5 × 107 s-1, which is ∼46- and 104-fold greater than the Kcat values of conventional Pt nanoparticles and natural peroxidases, respectively. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the unique surface structure of Ni-Pt NPs weakens the adsorption of key intermediates during catalysis, which boosts the catalytic efficiency. The Ni-Pt NPs were applied to an immunoassay of a carcinoembryonic antigen that achieved an ultralow detection limit of 1.1 pg/mL, hundreds of times lower than that of the conventional enzyme-based assay.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.