Preparation and enzymatic application of flower-like hybrid microcapsules through a biomimetic mineralization approach.

Fast and quantitative adsorption of molecules may confer hybrid microcapsules high performance in specific applications, such as biocatalysis, biosensing, drug delivery, and so on. Engineering the chemical/topological structures of the capsule wall renders great potential to achieve this goal. In the present study, flower-like microcapsules are prepared through a biomimetic mineralization approach. Briefly, protein-hybrid microflowers are firstly synthesized through enzyme-induced precipitation of Cu3(PO4)2, which are subsequently utilized as templates for alternative deposition of the protamine layer and the silica layer through biomimetic silicification assisted by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. After treatment with EDTA, the flower-like protamine/silica hybrid (FPSH) microcapsules are obtained. Additionally, the hybrid capsule wall also endows the FPSH microcapsules with desirable pH, temperature and storage stability. Hopefully, our approach may provide a promising alternative to increase the efficiency of catalysis, drug delivery, etc.