Morphology-Dependent Regulation of Au@CeO₂ Structure for Rational Design of Phosphatase-Like Nanozyme

Nanozymes with multienzyme-like capabilities can function as self-catalytic reactors, exhibiting significant advantages over natural enzymes. However, it is still challenging to develop a general strategy to regulate the multienzyme-like activities of nanozymes and clarify their intricate catalytic mechanisms. Herein, we establish a seed-mediated strategy to modulate the multienzyme-like activities of gold@cerium oxide (Au@CeO₂) by altering the morphology of gold seeds. The end-coated nanostructure exhibits superior phosphatase-like (POP-like) activity compared to the core@shell nanostructure. Through structure-activity correlation, we reveal that Lewis acidity (LA) and oxygen-vacancy density serve as key descriptors governing the POP-like activity, synergistically activating the phosphoester substrate and water nucleophile. This work elucidates the mechanisms underlying morphology-dependent catalytic regulation, offering a rational design strategy for developing hydrolase-mimicking nanozymes.