Electronic charge transfer at metal-biopolymer interfaces

Abstract

An understanding of the nature of the contact between metals and biological materials is important for several reasons. Firstly, without a knowledge of possible charge transfer at the contact, it is never certain that intrinsic electrical properties can be determined. Secondly, in the medical field, charge transfer between a living system and the surface of a prosthetic device may be important in determining compatibility. Lastly, since there are many similarities between synthetic and bio-polymers and since charge transfer between metals and synthetic polymers are readily interpreted in terms of electron tunnelling between metal states and relaxed molecular states of the polymers, it is important for biology to confirm that similar electron tunnelling processes can occur in the latter case. Electron tunnelling is believed to be a major biological process [1,2].