Modulating p-d Orbital Hybridization in Mesoporous Medium-Entropy Alloy Nanozymes with Enhanced Peroxidase-Like Activity.

Abstract

Platinum (Pt)-based nanozymes display exceptional stability and catalytic activity in the activation of H₂O₂, making them ideal peroxidase (POD)-like substitutes for immunoassay applications. However, specific catalytic progress is hindered by the excessive orbital overlaps between Pt and oxygen-based intermediates. Herein, a highly efficient mesoporous medium-entropy alloy (m-MEA) nanozyme is reported to selectively enhance POD activity through synergy interaction of multiple elements. Such synergy reduces the 5<i>d</i> orbital energy of Pt, thereby lowering antibonding energy levels and weakening <i>p</i>-<i>d</i> orbital hybridization between the O 2<i>p</i> and Pt 5<i>d</i>. The reduced orbital overlap lowers energetic barriers and suppresses the excessive adsorption of oxygenated intermediates (*OH₂/*OH), as well as weakens oxygen poisoning of active sites. In addition, the exposed mesoporous structure of m-MEA nanozyme ensures accessible active sites, resulting in a high POD specific activity of 304 ± 1.69 U mg^-1, which is 6.58- and 507-folds higher than that of mesoporous Pt and nonporous MEA nanozymes, respectively. The m-MEA-based immunoassay platform has been utilized for the detection of prostate-specific antigens, achieving an exceptionally low detection limit of 1.20 pg mL^-1, surpassing the sensitivity of traditional enzyme-linked assays.