Polymersomes as nanoreactors for preparative biocatalytic applications: current challenges and future perspectives

Polymersomes are hollow, spherical vesicles that are surrounded by a polymer membrane. The applied polymer must be amphiphilic to promote self-assembly in aqueous solution. At the same time, the polymer composition is highly versatile, which leads to diverse properties in terms of chemical and mechanical stability, membrane permeability and the ability to functionalize the membrane. By encapsulating chemical or biological substances within the polymersomes, drug delivery systems, cell mimetics or catalytic nanoreactors can be assembled. Whereas drug delivery systems and cell mimetics based on polymersomes have been reviewed excessively, we lay focus on the current challenges and perspectives of polymersomes as nanoreactors for preparative biocatalytic applications. We discuss the importance of membrane properties for the use of polymersomes for synthetic applications and highlight advances in polymersome production and membrane functionalization. Finally, we summarize recent applications of polymersomes as nanoreactors, discuss the associated challenges and disclose future requirements and perspectives for the industrial use of polymersomes as nanoreactors.