Loading of myoglobin into multilayer films assembled by ZrO2 nanoparticles and phytic acid: electrochemistry and electrocatalysis.

Small-molecular phytic acid (PA) with its unique structure was successfully assembled with ZrO2 nanoparticles into {PA/ZrO2}n layer-by-layer films on solid surfaces, which was confirmed by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) with K3Fe(CN)6 as the electroactive probe. Myoglobin (Mb) could be gradually "absorbed" or loaded into the films when the films were immersed into Mb solutions. The Mb-loaded films at pyrolytic graphite (PG) electrodes, designated as {PA/ZrO2}n-Mb, demonstrated well-defined and quasi-reversible CV responses for Mb Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple and good electrocatalytic properties toward oxygen and H2O2. The driving force of the film assembly and the interaction between Mb and {PA/ZrO2}n films were explored and discussed in detail. The coordination interaction between PA and ZrO2 is believed to be the main driving force for the assembly of {PA/ZrO2}n multilayer films, and the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged Mb and the film components is the main interaction for Mb loading into the films. The loading behavior of the {PA/ZrO2}n films toward different proteins with different size indicates that while the porosity of the films is necessary for the protein loading, only those proteins with the size smaller than the average pore size of the films can be incorporated in the interior of films.