Lipid mono- and bilayer supported on polymer films: composite polymer-lipid films on solid substrates

We report the deposition of lipid monolayers and bilayers on polyacrylamide films deposited by radical chain reaction onto solid substrates in aqueous solutions. Polymer films of various degrees of monomer density and cross-linking are prepared. Lateral diffusion and fluorescent probe permeation measurements yield insight into the continuity of the lipid layers and show that monolayers exposed to air are much less sensitive towards polymer heterogeneities than bilayers below water, which is explained in terms of the wetting laws. The diffusion studies of lipid and lipopeptide probes yield absolute values of the frictional coefficients between the lipid layer and the polymer films and allow one to estimate the surface viscosity of the polymer film. The potential applications of supported membranes on soft thin polymer films for the preparation of biofunctionalized surfaces or biocompatible receptive surfaces for biosensors are discussed.