Immobilisation of enzymes on mesoporous silicate materials

Mesoporous silicates (MPS) are attractive materials for the immobilisation of enzymes. They possess ordered pore structures, narrow pore size distributions, large surface areas, high stability and can be chemically modified with various functional groups. The properties of MPS materials are reviewed in terms of their ability to act as supports for enzymes for use in biocatalysis with a particular focus on the ability to tailor the surface functionalization of the MPS to suit a specific enzyme. While many reports of the immobilisation of enzymes on MPS have been described, their use as biocatalytic supports is limited. Large scale reactors based on MPS will require continuous flow systems where the properties of the support can be tailored while allowing fluid flow at reasonable low pressure.