Biomimetic synthesis of vesicular covalent organic frameworks by gemini surfactants for in-situ enzyme cascade immobilization.

Abstract

In nature, enzymes in biofilms often lack robustness and chemical functionality. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as a robust platform for enzyme immobilization, but mimicking biofilm structures for in-situ enzyme immobilization remains challenging. Here, we report a biomimetic strategy to synthesize COFs with various morphologies under mild conditions using Gemini surfactants. These surfactants mimic phospholipid bilayers, enabling in-situ enzyme immobilization. Controlled COFs morphologies (vesicular and lamellar) are formed by cationic Gemini surfactants through micelle or reverse micelle regulation. Enzymes with different charges induce distinct COFs morphologies, which in turn affect enzyme activity. This work offers insights into biomimetic morphology control of COFs and their application in enzyme immobilization.