Bioinspired Synthesis of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 in Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
The confined synthesis of functional nanomaterials within biomimetic compartments offers a strategy to address key limitations in biomedical applications, including stability, biocompatibility, and controlled encapsulation. Here, we report the in situ precipitation of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) within phospholipid giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). By encapsulating Zn 2+ in the vesicle lumen and triggering crystallization through external addition of membrane-permeable 2-methylimidazole, we establish a bioinspired compartmentalized synthesis approach. Confocal and electron microscopy confirm nanoparticle formation and reveal strong interactions between the precipitated phase and the membrane, leading to poration and selective content release. Crystal-size analysis and comparison with bulk systems show that confinement and the lipid interface modulate nucleation and growth. These results identify GUVs as soft templates for localized nanomaterial synthesis and as modular platforms for drug delivery, bioresponsive systems, and synthetic cell design.
Authors
- Nadia Valletti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4399-2682)
- Masaki Itatani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1025-0452)
- Norbert Német (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6800-1710)
- István Lagzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2303-5965)
- Annette F. Taylor (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0071-8306)
- Nerith Rocío Elejalde-Cadena (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7120-7613)
- Gábor Schuszter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9170-9933)
- Pietro Lupetti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4316-9861)
- Eugenio Paccagnini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9784-2057)
- Federico Rossi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1854-532X)
- Paola Albanese
Institutions
- University of Siena (IT)
- Hokkaido University (JP)
- University of Szeged (HU)
- Budapest University of Technology and Economics (HU)
- Physical Sciences (United States) (US)
- Yukhnovskii Institute for Condensed Matter Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (UA)
- Institute of Physics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK)
- University of Southampton (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- ACS Materials Letters
- Published
- 2026-06-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmaterialslett.6c00099
- Primary Topic
- Zeolite Catalysis and Synthesis
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Magyar Tudományos Akadémia
- Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca
- Nemzeti Kutatási, Fejlesztési és Innovaciós Alap
- NextGenerationEU