Construction of natural inspired organophyllosilicate nanozyme with urease mimetic activity

Inspired by the catalytic properties of natural enzymes and the advantages of nanozymes, a nickel contained organophyllosilicate (NiAC) was constructed by a facile one-step sol-gel method under mild conditions. The catalytic performance of the urease-like activity was systematically investigated, using Nessler’s reagent spectrophotometric method to detect the produced ammonia. Subsequently, comprehensive evaluations were performed under different environmental conditions. This showed that exhibited excellent catalytic activity over pH range of 4.5–6.5 and at temperatures ranging from 37°C to 97°C, which effectively overcomes the inherent limitation of the natural urease’s susceptibility to mutation under extreme conditions. Further analysis of the catalytic mechanism was explored via steady-state kinetic analysis. The Km was calculated to be 0.0185 mM, which was lower than that of natural urease. The low cost, simple synthesis, and excellent environmental stability (resistance to strong acids and high temperatures) of NiAC highlight its potential as a powerful and economical green alternative to natural urease, which provides new insights into the molecular design of hydrolytic nanozymes and lays the foundation for their practical applications in areas such as soil remediation and wastewater treatment.