Amphiphilic hollow carbonaceous microsphere-encapsulated enzymes: Facile immobilization and robust biocatalytic properties

•This study reports a general strategy for the encapsulation of various enzymes in CMs.•The encapsulated enzyme can be used in aqueous and organic solvents.•The encapsulated enzyme exhibits high activity, reusability and storage stability.•CMs could provide a favorable microaqueous environment for enzymes in organic systems.

This study reports a general strategy for the encapsulation of various enzymes in amphiphilic hollow carbonaceous microspheres (CMs). We found that enzymes could be spontaneously encapsulated in the interior cavity of the CMs via hydrophobic interactions. Due to strong hydrophobic interactions and robust confinement, leaching of the physically adsorbed enzymes is substantially restricted. As a novel immobilization matrix, the CMs display many significant advantages. They are capable of encapsulating a wide range of proteins/enzymes of different sizes, which can then be used in both aqueous and organic media and retain high activity, stability, and excellent reusability. Moreover, CMs could be considered as efficient microreactors that provide a favorable microaqueous environment for enzymes in organic systems. Therefore, this doubly effective and simple immobilization approach can be easily expanded to many other enzymes and has great potential in a variety of enzyme applications.

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