Figure 3. Deposition rate of αTm on p-Lys substrate shows the process is diffusion driven and irreversible.

The number ratio between αTm molecules adhered to p-Lys coated mica and in 1 cm³ of the bulk solution, N_s/N_B(t = 0), increased with incubation time up to 300 s, as shown in both linear (main graph) and logarithmic (inset) scales. 5% of total number of αTm molecules in the bulk solution were deposited on the substrate by the 300 s incubation; the absence of discernible change at longer incubation times of 450 s and 600 s suggests the top layer of the bulk solution was depleted of αTm molecules [26]. Fitting data from incubation time 10 s to 300 s to Eq. 1 (solid lines) returned estimates of two parameters: exponent parameter p equals 0.49, in close accordance to an irreversible and diffusion driven deposition process [26]; and diffusion constant parameter D of αTm equals 2.2×10⁻⁷ cm²/s, consistent with previous estimates [43].