Efficient, stable and sustainable Alginate@Chitosan enzymatic microreactors based on gas-shearing microfluidics

Enzymatic microreactors have gradually become a research hotspot as they can provide an ideal environment for the enzymatic reaction to ensure that the enzymatic reaction can be carried out in an organized manner. Here, inspired by the cellular structure of eukaryotic organisms, we developed Alginate@Chitosan (Alg@CS) microparticles for enzymatic reactions by oil-free gas-shearing method, allowing free access to substrate and product while shielding the enzyme from its surroundings. With the interpenetrating network crosslinked by Alg, CS and Ca2+ as the substrate, XOD can be encapsulated in particles at the same time of crosslinking. The microreactors are more stable and could provide more active sites for XOD with the addition of CS. The microreactors show excellent recyclability and 4 °C storage stability. This work opens up an intriguing avenue for enzyme microreactor preparation, which is important for the construction of artificial biomimetic catalytic systems.