Peroxidase mimics of platinum-group metals for in vitro diagnostics: opportunities and challenges

Platinum-group metal (PGM) nanostructures with peroxidase-like catalytic activities (i.e., peroxidase mimics) have been actively developed and applied to in vitro diagnostics in recent years. This article provides our viewpoints on this emerging field from the perspectives of materials science and solid-state chemistry angles. We start with an introduction to PGM peroxidase mimics, their catalytic efficiencies, and insights into catalysis from computational simulations. We then discuss chemical approaches to the synthesis of PGM peroxidase mimics with desired physicochemical parameters and catalytic properties. Then, we elaborate on general methods for functionalizing the surfaces of PGM mimics with bioreceptors. Thereafter, we highlight the applications of PGM mimics in in vitro diagnostics, emphasizing the interactions of PGM mimics with other components of a diagnostic system. We conclude this article with our opinions on the challenges and opportunities in this field.