Photoelectric conversion properties of bilayer lipid membranes self-assembled on an ITO substrate

The photoelectric conversion properties of two self-assembled bilayer lipid membranes (BLM and C60-containing BLM) on indium tin oxide (ITO) conducting glass were studied. The influences of applied voltage, donor and receptor on the transmembrane photocurrent were investigated; the facilitating effect of C60 doped in BLM on photoinduced electron transfer across the BLM was also investigated. This novel self-assembled ITO/BLM electrode may provide a simple and mechanically stable model to study the photoelectric properties of biomembranes.