Piezoelectric Effect Modulates Nanozyme Activity: Underlying Mechanism and Practical Application

Review article, 2023

Nanozyme activity relies on surface electron transfer processes. Notably, the piezoelectric effect plays a vital role in influencing nanozyme activity by generating positive and negative charges on piezoelectric materials' surfaces. This article comprehensively reviews the potential mechanisms and practical applications of regulating nanozyme activity through the piezoelectric effect. The article first elucidates how the piezoelectric effect enables nanozymes to exhibit catalytic activity. It is highlighted that the positive and negative charges produced by this effect directly participate in redox reactions, leading to the conversion of materials from an inactive to an active state. Moreover, the piezoelectric field generated can enhance nanozyme activity by accelerating electron transfer rates or reducing binding energy between nanozymes and substrates. Practical applications of piezoelectric nanozymes are explored in the subsequent section, including water pollutant degradation, bacterial disinfection, biological detection, and tumor therapy, which demonstrate the versatile potentials of the piezoelectric effect in nanozyme applications. The review concludes by emphasizing the need for further research into the catalytic mechanisms of piezoelectric nanozymes, suggesting expanding the scope of catalytic types and exploring new application areas. Furthermore, the promising direction of synergistic catalytic therapy is discussed as an inspiring avenue for future research.