Enhanced Peroxidase-like Activity of Ruthenium-Modified Single-Atom-Thick A Layers in MAX Phases for Biomedical Applications

Nanozymes have demonstrated significant potential as promising alternatives to natural enzymes in biomedical applications. However, their lower catalytic activity compared to that of natural enzymes has limited their practical utility. Addressing this challenge necessitates the development of innovative enzymatic systems capable of achieving specific activity levels of natural enzymes. In this study, we focus on enhancing the catalytic performance of nanozymes by introducing Ru atoms into the single-atom-thick A layer of the V2SnC MAX phase, resulting in the formation of V2(Sn0.8Ru0.2)C with Ru single-atom sites. The V2(Sn0.8Ru0.2)C MAX phase demonstrated an exceptional peroxidase-like specific activity of up to 1792.6 U mg–1, surpassing the specific activity of a previously reported horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and density functional…