Understanding and Engineering the Nucleation of Enzyme Metal-Organic Frameworks using Small and Wide X-ray Scattering

Project Description

Enzymes can be incorporated into metal-organic frameworks (MOF) to form a new class of biological nanomaterials, enzyme-MOFs (E-MOFs). E-MOFs are widely studied for applications in bio-catalysis, bio-sensing, and biopharmaceuticals. Efficient production of E-MOFs requires high loading of the active form of the enzyme and control over the MOF crystal size and structure. This necessitates an in-depth study of the nucleation and growth mechanisms. In this project we will determine the nucleation and growth mechanisms for a series of E-MOFs, with variation in enzyme type and synthesis condition for the MOF zeolitic imidazolate 8 (ZIF-8). Using this data, we will provide a link between the synthetic conditions and the effect on the encapsulation efficiency and enzymatic activity, providing new design rules for improving E-MOF performance.

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