Two Birds, One Stone: Smart MOF Nanozymes for Dual Catalysis and Theranostics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Catalysis
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous nanomaterials with tunable structures.
• MOFs can be designed as nanozymes mimicking natural enzyme activities.
• Their high surface area and modular chemistry enable diverse applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review MOF-based nanozymes.
• To analyze structure-activity relationships governing their catalytic performance.
• To discuss engineering strategies and theranostic applications.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on MOF nanozymes.
• Analysis of structure-property correlations.
• Evaluation of engineering techniques (defect creation, hybridization, functionalization).
• Assessment of theranostic capabilities (detection, imaging, therapy, drug delivery).

Main Results:

• MOF nanozymes exhibit diverse redox-mimetic activities (oxidase, peroxidase, catalase, etc.).
• Structure-activity relationships are defined by pore topology, metal-ligand coordination, and dimensionality.
• Engineering strategies enhance active site accessibility, kinetics, and redox efficiency.
• MOF nanozymes show promise in biomarker detection, multimodal imaging, ROS therapy, and drug delivery.

Conclusions:

• MOF nanozymes offer programmable catalytic and biomedical functions.
• They represent powerful dual-function platforms unifying catalysis and theranostics.
• Future directions include AI-guided design and sustainable synthesis.