The fabrication of composite coatings based on silica with well defined physical properties represents a promising new approach to fine-tune mechanical, optical, electronic, and permeability properties for use in sensor, membrane, transducer, optical, and biomedical applications. The formation of uniform silica films by immobilization of silicatein on gold-coated surfaces that had been functionalszed with amines will be studied using neutron reflectometry. We will study the adsorption isotherms and kinetics of recombinant and silicatein extracted from natural sources in order to further our understanding of how it promotes the formation thick, uniform silica films at ambient conditions. An understanding of the general principles, which govern silicatein and subsequent silica adsorption, can be extended to the fabrication of a wide range of materials.