Electronic processes in supported bilayer lipid membranes (s-BLMs) containing a geodesic form of carbon (fullerene C-60)

The light-induced voltage and current generated by doping a self-assembled and supported bilayer lipid membrane (s-BLM) with buckminsterfullerene C-60 were investigated. Using these s-BLMs, it is possible to construct sensor probes and to investigate redox reactions and light-induced electron transfer across the lipid bilayer. The C-60-containing s-BLM, considered basically as a ''molecular device'', is a light-sensitive diode capable of photoinduced charge separation which undergoes redox reactions across the substrate-hydrophobic lipid bilayer-aqueous solution junctions. Using the cyclic voltammetry technique, our results show that C-60 embedded in the BLM acts as an excellent electron carrier/mediator and should be useful for electrochemical biosensor and molecular electronics device development. It is concluded that supported BLMs with excellent stability, possessing the structural and dynamic properties of conventional planar lipid bilayers, are excellent models for investigating basic membrane-mediated ligand-receptor contact interactions. For practical applications, the s-BLMs are ideal systems for incorporating a host of compounds, including fullerenes, semiconducting nanoparticles, receptor proteins and polymeric materials. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.