Regenerable liquid metal nanozymes enable pH-regulated multi-enzyme mimicking

Nanozymes are nanomaterials with enzyme-like characteristics that are found in the fields of catalysis, biomedicine, and environmental science. In this work, we present a core-shell liquid metal nanozyme (MnO_x@EGaIn) that shows pH-regulated multi-enzyme mimicking capabilities. By harnessing the amphoteric nature of liquid metal surface oxides, these liquid metal nanozymes demonstrate tunable reaction possibilities under various pH conditions (4.0–9.5). This property enables highly efficient enzyme-mimicking activities, including oxidase (OXD, specific activity, SA of 539 U/g), catalase (CAT, SA of 2621 U/g), and superoxide dismutase (SOD, SA of 2391 U/g). Moreover, these liquid metal nanozymes showed notable regenerability, allowing them to be recycled and re-synthesized from their raw material forms. This discovery not only broadens the range of materials and applications for nanozymes but also equips them with the ability to perform multiple enzyme functions while remaining regenerative, providing valuable insights for the design of next-generation enzyme-mimicking materials.