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Supported lipid bilayers formed by the fusion of small unilaminar vesicles onto silicon oxide or organic film modified surfaces serve as model membranes in both scientific research and practical applications. They prove invaluable to researchers in the study of the characteristics and behavior of membrane-bound proteins specifically, as well as in the more general study of membrane-mediated cellular processes, protein-lipid interactions and biological signal transduction. They enable the biofunctionalization of inorganic solids, such as semiconductors, gold-covered surfaces, and optoelectronic and lab-on-a-chip devices. Applications of supported membranes on solid surfaces potentially include biosensors, the acceleration and improvement of medical implant acceptance, programmed drug delivery, and the production of catalytic interfaces. Scientists rather prefer the electrical properties of gold and the beneficial biocompatibility of titanium-oxide to support lipid bilayers, yet it has been unsuccessful in creating planar lipid bilayers. In this study, we present a novel method to destabilize intact vesicles, by transforming them into a planar bilayer structure on substrate materials, such as gold and titanium oxide. The new method eliminates previous restriction to preferred substrates and allows researchers to take advantage of the beneficial electrical properties of gold and the superb biocompatibility of titanium-oxide surfaces. This shifts the focus to a material-based solution and away from surface-dependent constraints |