Biocatalytic microgels (μ-Gelzymes): synthesis, concepts, and emerging applications

Abstract

Enzymes are nature’s catalysts and have great potential for sustainable processes from renewable resources. The adaptation of enzymes to the requirements of industrial processes is a prerequisite to harness their...

Enzyme entrapment, biocatalyst immobilization without covalent attachment

“…7A) is an old method, but it is still evolving and is there- fore worthy of discussion. 128,129 In general, entrapping an enzyme in a polymer matrix involves mixing the enzyme with monomers, and sometimes crosslinkers, and an initiator to mediate the polymerization process. Often polymerization is achieved via free radical formation.…”

Engineering hybrid microgels as particulate emulsifiers for reversible Pickering emulsions

“…Microgels are soft and deformable colloid particles that can swell or shrink in a solvent with external stimulus. [1][2][3][4] Touted as intelligent materials, microgels have received great attention 5,6 and have been employed as rheology modifiers, 7,8 delivery vehicles, 9 emulsion stabilizers, 10,11 micropattern templates, 12 microreactors, 13 and actuators. 14 Particularly, microgels are capable of spontaneously self-assembling onto the oil/water interface and rapidly lowering the interfacial energy, [15][16][17] and Ngai et al pioneered the use of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-comethacrylic acid) (PNIPAM-co-MAA) microgels for stabilization of pH and temperature responsive oil-in-water (o/w) Pickering emulsion in 2004.…”

Regenerable temperature-responsive biocatalytic nanofiltration membrane for organic micropollutants removal

“…Considering the fragile and sensitive nature of the enzyme and membrane, we need to choose a type of microgel with mild responsive conditions and ease of operation. Thereinto, temperature-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgels attract our attention owing to their pronounced thermal response near physiological temperature (32°C), mature synthesis process, good biocompatibility, and high monodispersity ( Nöth et al., 2020 ; Reinicke et al., 2019 ; Rey et al., 2020 ). PNIPAM is hydrophilic and swollen in aqueous media below 32°C, whereas it becomes hydrophobic and collapsed above 32°C ( Xiao et al., 2013 ).…”