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Open research questions in Advanced Nanomaterials in Catalysis

96 gap statements mined from Advanced Nanomaterials in Catalysis papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 1,483 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

What the literature leaves open

  • Emerging directions such as single-atom nanozymes, cascade enzyme systems, and stimuli-responsive platforms are highlighted as promising routes for next-generation wound therapeutics - MOF-based nanozymes offer synergistic antibacterial and ROS-regulating characteristics

    Metal-Functionalized Nanozymes in Antibacterial Wound Management: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the development of effective therapeutic approaches for wound healing, particularly in the context of antibiotic resistance. It highlights the need for new antibacterial agents that can provide multimodal activity and promote tissue regeneration. The paper also notes the importance of addressing key challenges such as biosafety and clinical translation in the development of metal-functionalized nanozymes.

    Metal-Functionalized Nanozymes in Antibacterial Wound Management: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives · 2026 · DOI

  • The difficulty of synthesizing nanoparticles with controlled size and shape. The need for enhanced chemical stability and catalytic activity in artificial enzymes. The challenge of characterizing the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles.

    Peroxidase (POD) Mimicking Activity of Different Types of Poly(ethyleneimine)-Mediated Prussian Blue Nanoparticles · 2024 · DOI

  • Investigation of the catalytic POD mimicry of PB/PEI NPs in depth, - Elucidation of the physicochemical properties of PB/PEI NPs, - Exploration of the viability of PB/PEI NPs as a promising nanozymatic material

    Peroxidase (POD) Mimicking Activity of Different Types of Poly(ethyleneimine)-Mediated Prussian Blue Nanoparticles · 2024 · DOI

  • Nevertheless, a dedicated review systematically summarizing progress in this specific subfield is lacking.

    Mitochondria‐Targeted Nanotherapeutics: A Promising Strategy in Modulating Mitochondrial Function, Transfer, and Transplantation · 2026 · DOI

  • Nanozymes have been identified as suitable candidates for pollutant degradation, but their thermoresponsive catalytic properties remain underexplored.

    Thermophilic MoNxOy nanozyme for highly efficient degradation of phenolic pollutants · 2025 · DOI

  • There is a need for sensitive and reliable detection methods for hydroquinone. The current regulatory landscape for hydroquinone is stringent yet heterogeneous worldwide.

    Fe/Mo-doped carbon dots as a bifunctional nanozyme for self-validating colorimetric and fluorometric sensing of hydroquinone · 2026 · DOI

  • Current therapeutics fail to address the metabolic bifurcation across contradictory pathological contexts. There is a need for a bi-polar bioenergetic intervention strategy for diabetic tumor postoperative management.

    Bi-Polar Bioenergetic Intervention via a Pathology Self-Adaptive Single-Atom Nanocatalyst for Diabetic Tumor Postoperative Management · 2026 · DOI

  • Scale-up synthesis and manufacturing feasibility of PtSNC for clinical translation is not addressed. Batch-to-batch reproducibility, yield optimization, stability under physiological conditions, and standardized quality control metrics for single-atom platinum nanocatalyst production remain unspecified.

    Bi-Polar Bioenergetic Intervention via a Pathology Self-Adaptive Single-Atom Nanocatalyst for Diabetic Tumor Postoperative Management · 2026 · DOI

  • To further develop the use of self-repairing hydrogels for treating diseases related to oxidative stress. To explore the use of hydrogels in other biomedical applications. To investigate the potential of hydrogels as a delivery carrier of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

    Functional metal nanozyme-hydrogel for biomedical applications · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective treatments for diseases related to oxidative stress. The need for a self-repairing hydrogel that can eliminate excessive ROS and alleviate local hypoxia and oxidative stress.

    Functional metal nanozyme-hydrogel for biomedical applications · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective antioxidant agents for treating ischemic-reperfusion injury - The need for novel approaches to eliminate reactive oxygen species - The challenge of developing strong antioxidant agents

    Metal‐Organic Complex‐Engineered Artificial Metalloenzymes With Synergistic Site and Cascade ROS Elimination to Treat Cerebral Ischemic‐Reperfusion Injury · 2026 · DOI

  • The clinical translation of CeNZs. The development of more efficient and low-toxicity tumor treatment strategies using CeNZs. The exploration of combination therapies using CeNZs and other therapeutic approaches.

    Cerium-based nanozymes for chemodynamic therapy: tumor microenvironment-responsive mechanisms and applications · 2026 · DOI

  • Conventional tumor treatment modalities have significant limitations. There is a need for more precise, targeted, and effective novel therapeutic strategies for tumor treatment.

    Cerium-based nanozymes for chemodynamic therapy: tumor microenvironment-responsive mechanisms and applications · 2026 · DOI

  • Traditional bacterial detection methods are often hampered by lengthy procedures and dependence on complex instrumentation. There is a need for rapid, sensitive, and specific detection technologies. Nanozymes have emerged as a potential solution to address these gaps.

    Nanozyme-Powered Biosensing: A Systematic Review of Advanced Strategies for Bacterial Detection · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of rapid and portable monitoring tools for ampicillin detection. The need for a sensitive and selective detection method for ampicillin in environmental samples. The demand for a low-cost and user-friendly detection platform for on-site ampicillin monitoring.

    Fabrication of FeNi@PDA Nanozyme-Driven Dual-Mode Platform for Visual and On-Site Monitoring of Ampicillin · 2026 · DOI

  • In recent years, with the rapid development of nanomaterial preparation technologies and in-depth biomedical research, PBNZ have shown great application potential in IRI therapy. With unique multi-enzyme activity-mimicking properties, PBNZ can modulate key pathophysiological processes like oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in complex biological environments, offering a new perspective for IRI treatment. In addition, as a drug carrier, PBNZ can achieve targeted drug delivery and controlled release through surface modification or functional design, thereby further enhancing the precision and safety of treatment. Meanwhile, its excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability provide a safeguard against potential toxic side effects associated with long-term use, offering a novel approach to address the issues of low delivery efficiency and significant side effects in conventional IRI therapies. From basic research to pre-clinical exploration, PBNZ have had significant therapeutic effects in IRI models of various tissues and organs, such as the brain, myocardium, liver, kidneys, and skin flaps. However, many challenges need to be addressed for the translation of PBNZ from laboratory research to clinical application. Firstly, the long-term biosafety of PBNZ must be highly prioritized. Although current research shows good biocompatibility, issues like the in vivo metabolic pathways of nanomaterials, potential accumulation effects, and possible immunological responses need more in-depth and long-term evaluation. A comprehensive understanding of these potential risks is essential for the safety and reliability of PBNZ in clinical applications. Secondly, the targeted delivery efficiency of PBNZ and their accumulation capacity at lesion sites need further improvement. Achieving more specific delivery of PBNZ to injured tissues and reducing impact on normal tissues via more precise surface modification techniques or intelligent responsive designs is crucial for improving therapeutic efficacy and minimizing toxic side effects. This requires not only innovations in material design but also the integration of advanced biomedical technologies to achieve higher targeting specificity and lower side effects. Page 18 of 21 Long et al. Vessel Plus. 2026;10:23 Furthermore, research into the mechanism of action of PBNZ requires further deepening and refinement. In particular, their interaction with complex in vivo biomolecular networks and the observed differences in their effects across various types of IRI models demand more systematic, comprehensive, and in-depth investigations to elucidate. Moreover, large-scale preparation processes and strict quality control standards for PBNZ should be established and improved. Scientific production procedures and quality management systems are needed to ensure batch-to-batch consistency and reliability for clinical use. Meanwhile, systematic pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies on PBNZ are required to provide a scientific basis for clinical dosing regimens. These studies will help understand its in vivo distribution, metabolism, and mechanism of action, thus optimizing clinical application strategies. Looking to the future, with the continuous integration and development of interdisciplinary research, and through collaborative innovation and joint efforts across multiple fields such as materials science, biology, and medicine, we have reason to believe that the performance of PBNZ will be further optimized, and their application scope will continue to expand. This, in turn, will bring new breakthroughs and hope for the clinical treatment of IRI.

    Prussian blue nanozyme for ischemia-reperfusion injury treatment: progress, opportunities and challenges · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for a platform that can coencapsulate multiple enzymes while preserving their activity. There is a need for a platform that can be used to study enzyme behavior under nanoscale confinement.

    Enhanced Enzyme Cascade Reactions Through Coencapsulation in Biocompatible Silica Nanoconfinement · 2026 · DOI

  • The intrinsic activity and selectivity of unmodified NMNZs often fail to meet the stringent demands of complex real-world detection scenarios. There is a need for rational regulation of nanozyme activity.

    Noble metal nanozymes: synthesis, mechanism, activity regulation and detection applications · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for a highly sensitive and specific method for detecting the S-isomer of ofloxacin. Conventional methods have limitations in terms of sensitivity and specificity.

    Discrimination of the S-isomer of ofloxacin using nanozyme-enhanced immunochromatographic analysis based on a secondary antibody-modified Au@Pd nanozyme · 2026 · DOI

  • Looking ahead, future research could focus on developing multiparametric ICAs for the simultaneous stereospecific detection of both OFL enantiomers.

    Discrimination of the S-isomer of ofloxacin using nanozyme-enhanced immunochromatographic analysis based on a secondary antibody-modified Au@Pd nanozyme · 2026 · DOI

  • The stringent requirements regarding the specificity and biosafety of LPS adsorbents. The potential for adsorbents saturated with LPS to remain in circulation and fail to completely neutralize pro-inflammatory effects. The need for operational convenience and fast onset of action in LPS removal treatments.

    Lipopolysaccharide hydrolysis-targeting nano-chimeras detoxify endotoxin through specific adsorption and efficient degradation · 2026 · DOI

  • No intravenous preparation for LPS removal is available in clinical practice - Adsorbents saturated with LPS that remain in circulation may fail to completely neutralize pro-inflammatory effects - The study used simulated gastric fluid, simulated intestinal fluid, and simulated colonic fluid

    Lipopolysaccharide hydrolysis-targeting nano-chimeras detoxify endotoxin through specific adsorption and efficient degradation · 2026 · DOI

  • Most developed adsorbents exhibit poor hemocompatibility. There is a need for a facile and highly biocompatible strategy to fabricate bioactive superstructures for blood purification.

    Assembly of Bioactive Superstructures via Metal–Phenolic Complexation for Blood Purification · 2026 · DOI

  • The study was performed in a limited environment. The sample size of human serum is not specified. The study does not provide a comprehensive analysis of potential interfering substances.

    Electron-deficient ligand-engineered bimetallic-organic framework nanozyme for homocysteine detection in serum samples · 2026 · DOI

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96 gap statements have been mined from Advanced Nanomaterials in Catalysis papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 1,483 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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