Hollow copper sulfide nanocubes as multifunctional nanozymes for colorimetric detection of dopamine and electrochemical detection of glucose

Abstract Nanozymes have fascinated increasing attention in the field of artificial enzyme. Designing an ideal nanozyme usually requires a synergic advantage of reasonable nanostructures and large specific surface area for ensuring excellent mimicking-enzyme catalytic activity. Here we report a CuS nanozyme with hollow nanocube structure (h-CuS NCs), which has a large surface area of 57.84 m 2  g −1 , and thus realizes excellent mimicking-enzyme catalytic activity. Expectedly, our directed design of h-CuS NCs nanozymes has an affinity for H 2 O 2 of 0.94 mM, which is outstanding among the state-of-the-art Cu-based nanozymes. Furthermore, this nanozyme acts as a multifunctional catalyst to induce luminol chemiluminescence and oxide 3, 3′, 5, 5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of H 2 O 2 , and displays distinguished electrocatalytic activity to glucose oxidation. More intriguingly, the nanozyme can produce a promising photothermal effect under the illumination of near-infrared light. This work will provide a prototype for rational design of distinct nanostructures as multifunctional nanozymes in the area of electrochemical sensing, mimicking-enzyme catalytic biosening and cancer therapy.