Highly stable enhanced peroxidase‐like new metal–organic framework for the colorimetric detection of phenol and hydrogen peroxide

Abstract This study demonstrates the exceptional peroxidase‐mimicking activity of a novel Cu‐based metal–organic framework (MOF) catalyst and its effectiveness for the colorimetric detection of phenol and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) in water samples. The Cu‐MOF catalyst leverages the synergistic Cu 2+ /Cu + interface to achieve a remarkable peroxidase activity, wherein the Cu ions significantly promote the adsorption of 3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethyl benzidine (TMB), activate H 2 O 2 , and facilitate the generation of free hydroxyl radicals ( • OH). Kinetic analysis revealed that the Cu‐MOF exhibited a superior catalytic performance compared to traditional catalysts such as horseradish peroxidase. The Michaelis–Menten constants ( K m ) for H 2 O 2 and TMB were determined to be 0.032 and 0.225 mM, respectively, while the maximum reaction rates ( V max ) were 3.10 × 10 −7 M·s −1 for H 2 O 2 and 1.16 × 10 −7 M·s −1 for phenol. Additionally, detection limits of 0.13 and 0.07 μM were determined for H 2 O 2 and phenol, respectively. These findings underscore the significant potential of Cu‐MOFs in peroxidase‐like catalysis, particularly for the sensitive detection of phenol and H 2 O 2 , and suggest the broad applicability of such materials in various catalytic and analytical domains.