Formation of mixed hybrid bilayer lipid membrane on transparent thin film oxide electrodes

In this work, we attempted to design phospholipid bilayers tethered to semiconducting metal oxide films. The phospholipid layers assembled on compact monocomponent self-assembled monolayers (SAM) on oxide films were accomplished earlier; however, previous studies indicated a poor ability of these layers to functionally reconstitute transmembrane proteins. Commercially available fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) sheet glass was chosen as a model solid support. FTO surface was functionalised utilising by the mixture of the long and short chain hydrophobic silanes. Specifically, octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTS) were used to assemble mixed silane-based SAMs on FTO. Exposure of mixed SAMs to a solution of multilamellar vesicles of 1,2-dioleoylsn- glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and 40% cholesterol triggered the changes of electrochemical parameters commensurate with the formation of additional dielectric layers of phospholipids.