Smart Hydrogel Doped by Metal–Organic Frameworks for Renewable Self‐Pumping Enzymatic Reactors

TL;DR

A smart hydrogel doped with metal-organic frameworks enables self-pumping enzymatic reactors, improving enzyme activity and recyclability for biotransformation.

Contribution

A novel self-pumping enzymatic reactor using MOF-doped hydrogels that mimics biological pumping mechanisms for enhanced enzyme performance.

Findings

Thermally triggered hydrogel contraction/expansion improves substrate intake and product expulsion.

MOFs prevent enzyme leakage and enhance retention within the hydrogel matrix.

The system shows potential for biosensing and bio-microdevice applications.

Abstract

The construction of high‐performance immobilized enzymes is vastly desired for green biotransformation. Although hydrogels offer significant potential for facilitating biomedical applications of enzymes due to their flexibility, macroscopic processability, and extracellular matrix‐like properties. However, maintaining enzymatic activity and recyclability within bulk hydrogels remains a formidable challenge due to restricted passive mass transfer and enzyme leakage. Herein, inspired by the heart's blood‐pumping mechanism, a smart metal–organic framework (MOFs)‐doped hydrogel is developed for enzyme immobilization to effectively address these challenges. Importantly, thermally triggered contraction/expansion cycles of the hydrogel, coupled with a dynamic water stream, significantly enhance substrates intake and endogenous products expulsion, while enzymes are effectively retained due to the interception effect of MOFs. This activity can be tuned by adjusting hydrogel contractility, enabling active mass transfer and regeneration similar to living tissues. Benefit from these advantages, the biosystems perform well in biosensing applications. This study provides a novel solution for enzymatic immobilization in porous 3D matrices and opens opportunities for the construction of life‐like bio‐microdevices or artificial organelles.

Renewable self‐pumping enzymatic reactors based on thermo‐stimulated cyclic contraction/expansion of metal‐organic frameworks‐doped hydrogel.

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