Efficient electron transfer through insulating lipid bilayers containing Au clusters

Metal nanostructures are often used in various films covering the electrodes to increase their conductivity. We demonstrate, that gold clusters play the role of remote gold electrodes transferring electron to the solution species when they are introduced even at very low surface concentrations into a lipid film. In the presence of the gold clusters efficient electron transfer to the electrode covered by the otherwise barrier-like lipid layer takes place as demonstrated in the example of the electrode processes of hexaammineruthenium(III). Reversibility of the process of this fast electrochemical probe is restored in the presence of as low as 0.01 mol% of Au clusters dispersed in the outer leaflet of the lipid bilayer.