Pure copper phosphate nanostructures with controlled growth: a versatile support for enzyme immobilization

In the present work, we report a simple method to develop pure copper phosphate nanoflowers without any assistance of additives. The blooming state of these nanoflowers can be controlled precisely by the growth time, pH value, temperature, and component of the precursor solution. A three-step growth mechanism is proposed, and the roles of the different factors are discussed for the formation of the nanoflowers. Relying on the hierarchical porous structure, the nanoflowers exert effective immobilization of enzymes. Compared with the free enzyme, the immobilized one maintains significantly enhanced catalytic activity against extreme pH and temperature variations as well as the presence of a denaturant. Such results can push the development of more hierarchical porous materials which hold promising applications for enzyme immobilization and biotechnology.