Lateral proton conduction along a lipid-water interface layer: a molecular mechanism for the role of hydration water molecules

Abstract

Using a fluorescence method applied to phospholipids spread at the air-water interface, we showed the occurence of a localized proton pathway along the phospholipid polar heads. From the systematic investigation of this phenomenon, we conclude that the protons diffuse through a hydrogen bond network which is a matrix of hydrated polar head groups.