Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine lipid molecules adsorbed on a silver electrode were found to exhibit a conformational phase transition when investigated by means of surface-enhanced Raman scattering. The observed order-todisorder transition of the hydrocarbon chain is voltage dependent and exhibits hysteresis phenomena. It is suggested that the adsorption of lipid molecules occurs at the phosphocholine moiety and the kinetic process for the transition involves a voltage-induced conformational change of the head group.

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