Adsorption and binding dynamics of graphene-supported phospholipid membranes using the QCM-D technique

TL;DR

This study investigates how phospholipid membranes adsorb and bind on graphene-supported surfaces using QCM-D, revealing tunable lipid structures and potential biosensing applications.

Contribution

It introduces graphene derivative coatings as support surfaces for controllable lipid membrane formation and demonstrates biotin-avidin binding on these membranes.

Findings

Graphene derivatives enable tunable hydrophobicity for lipid membranes.

Lipid monolayers can be formed on reduced graphene oxide.

Biotin-avidin binding was successfully monitored on lipid membranes.

Abstract

We report on the adsorption dynamics of phospholipid membranes on graphene-coated substrates using the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) technique. We compare the lipid vescle interaction and membranne formation on gold and silicon dioxide QCM crystal surfaces with their graphene oxide (GO) and reduced (r)GO coated counterparts, and report on the different lipid structures obtained. We establish graphene derivative coatings as support surfaces with tuneable hydrophobicity for the formation of controllable lipid structures. One structure of interest formed are lipid monolayer membrannes which were formed on rGO, which are otherwise challenging to produce. We also demonstrate and monitor biotin-avidin binding on such a membranne, which will then serve as a platform for a wide range of biosensing applications. The QCM-D technique could be extended to both fundamental studies and applications of other covalent and non-covalent interactions in 2-dimensional materials.