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  • Perspective
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Can nanozymes achieve more than enzymes?

Nature Reviews Materials (2026)Cite this article

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Abstract

Nanozymes have progressed from simple enzyme mimics to a versatile class of artificial catalysts that expand functionality beyond the reach of natural enzymes. In this Perspective, we examine how the materials design of nanozymes enables catalytic behaviours that are inaccessible to biological systems, including activity in non-biological environments, promotion of non-natural reactions and the integration of multiple catalytic functions within a single nanostructure. Through nanoscale control over physicochemical parameters and emulation of key enzyme architectures, nanozymes can achieve finely tunable activity and selectivity. Facile surface functionalization and inherent electrical connectivity further enhance their performance in complex systems. Collectively, these attributes extend catalysis beyond the constraints of natural enzymes, driving innovations in an array of different fields, including biomedicine, agriculture, environmental remediation and energy conversion.

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Fig. 1: Operational temperature and pH windows of nanozymes and natural enzymes.
Fig. 2: Bioorthogonal catalysis and multicatalytic integration in nanozymes.
Fig. 3: Strategies and examples for optimizing the catalytic activity of nanozymes.
Fig. 4: Strategies and examples for tuning the selectivity of nanozymes.
Fig. 5: Functionalities and modalities of nanozymes for overcoming challenges across diverse fields.

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Acknowledgements

X.X. acknowledges funding from the National Institutes of Health (R01 EB035519) and the US Department of Agriculture (2024-67021-42829). J.J.G. acknowledges funding from the Australian Research Council through the Discovery Grant Scheme (DP260104243) and an Industry Laureate Fellowship (IL240100091). V.M.R. acknowledges funding from the National Institutes of Health (R01 EB022641), and C.-M.H. was partially supported by a fellowship from the Chemistry-Biology Interface Program at UMass Amherst (National Research Service Award T32 GM139789) and a fellowship from PPG.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    Shikuan Shao & Xiaohu Xia

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA

    Cristina-Maria Hirschbiegel & Vincent M. Rotello

  3. School of Chemistry and Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Ethan F. Allan, Samuel V. Somerville & J. Justin Gooding

  4. NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    Xiaohu Xia

  5. Bionic Implants, Materials and Interfaces Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    Xiaohu Xia

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  1. Shikuan Shao
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  2. Cristina-Maria Hirschbiegel
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Contributions

S.S., C.-M.H., E.F.A. and S.V.S. assembled and researched data for the paper. S.S. and X.X. led the drafting of the paper. All authors contributed substantially to the discussion of the content and drafting of the article. J.J.G., V.M.R. and X.X. reviewed and/or edited the manuscript before submission.

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Shao, S., Hirschbiegel, CM., Allan, E.F. et al. Can nanozymes achieve more than enzymes?. Nat Rev Mater (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-026-00898-3

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