Engineering Two-Dimensional Pd Nanoplates with Exposed Highly Active {100} Facets Toward Colorimetric Acid Phosphatase Detection

Abstract

Enzyme-like activity and efficiency of nanomaterials are strongly controlled by their size, composition, and structure, and hence the structural parameters need to be optimized. Here, we report that two-dimensional Pd nanoplates enclosed by {100}-facets [{100}PdSP@rGO] exhibit substantially enhanced intrinsic oxidase-like activities relative to the {111}-facets ones and Pd nanocubes in catalyzing the chromogenic reaction of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine. By taking ascorbic acid 2-phosphate as the substrate, which transforms to ascorbic acid in the presence of acid phosphatase (ACP), the {100}PdSP@rGO could be used as an efficient nanozyme for colorimetric ACP detection without resorting to destructive H₂O₂. A good linear relationship from 0.01 to 6.0 mU/mL with a detection limit of 8.3 μU/mL is obtained, which is better than most previously reported ACP assays. Importantly, the excellent assay performance could be successfully applied to ACP determination in serum samples with high accuracy. This study demonstrates that the enzyme-like activity of nanomaterials could be finely tuned simultaneously by controlling their exposed crystal facets and high specific surface area.