Biocatalytic CsPbX3 Perovskite Nanocrystals: A Self-Reporting Nanoprobe for Metabolism Analysis

CsPbX3 perovskite nanocrystals (NCs), with excellent optical properties, have drawn considerable attention in recent years. However, they also suffer from inherent vulnerability and hydrolysis, causing the new understanding or new applications to be difficultly explored. Herein, for the first time, it is discovered that the phospholipid membrane (PM)-coated CsPbX3 NCs have intrinsic biocatalytic activity. Different from other peroxidase-like nanozymes relying on extra chromogenic reagents, the PM-CsPbX3 NCs can be used as a self-reporting nanoprobe, allowing an add-to-answer detection model. Notably, the fluorescence of PM-CsPbX3 NCs can be rapidly quenched by adding H2O2 and then be restored by removing excess H2O2. Initiated from this unexpected observation, the PM-CsPbX3 NCs can be explored to prepare multi-color bioinks and metabolite-responsive paper analytical devices, demonstrating the great potential of CsPbX3 NCs in bioanalysis. This is the first report on the discovery of nanozyme-like property of all-inorganic CsPbX3 perovskite NCs, which adds another piece to the nanozyme puzzle and opens new avenues for in vitro disease diagnostics.

Automated summary

The study reveals that phospholipid membrane-coated CsPbX3 nanocrystals exhibit intrinsic biocatalytic activity, serving as a self-reporting nanoprobe in bioanalysis. This discovery opens up new avenues for in vitro disease diagnostics and showcases the great potential of CsPbX3 nanocrystals in this field.