Bacterial Cellulose

Catalog	ACMA00030703
Description	Bacterial cellulose (BC) (microbial cellulose, bacterial nanocellulose) is an organic compound with the formula (C6H10O5)n produced by certain types of bacteria, such as A. xylinum. Bacterial, or microbial, cellulose has different properties from plant cellulose and is characterized by high degree of purity (does not contain hemicellulose, lignin, waxes, and pectins), strength, moldability and increased water holding ability.
Synonyms	BC (Bacterial Cellulose; Microbial Cellulose; Bacterial Nanocellulose; BioCellulose)
Molecular Formula	(C6H10O5)n
Application	This material is being used for a wide variety of commercial applications including textiles, cosmetics, and food products, as well as medical applications.
Feature	Surface Group: Hydroxyl Crystalline type: I
Specification	Width: 50 – 100 nm; Length: ≥ 30 um

Case Study

Applications of Bacterial Cellulose-Based Composites in Biomedicine and Cosmetics

Mbituyimana B, et al. Carbohydrate Polymers, 2021, 273, 118565.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is one of the popular materials in the biomedical and cosmetic fields due to its morphology, mechanical strength, high purity, high water absorption, non-toxicity, chemical controllability and biocompatibility.
· The most commonly used preparation methods for BC-based composites include in situ method, ex-situ method and synthesis of BC composites from BC solution. In situ method uses reinforcing substances in the culture medium during BC synthesis, which eventually become part of the produced BC hydrogel. For ex-situ method, the composite is produced by adding or impregnating the reinforcing material into the synthetic polymer.
· Examples of biomedical applications of BC composites include wound healing, drug delivery, bone tissue engineering, soft tissue and cancer treatment, etc. For example, BC is commercialized as a dressing for burn wounds and is considered as a skin substitute in the biomedical field.
· Examples of cosmetic applications of BC composites include facial masks, contact lenses, personal cleansing formulations and facial scrubs. Compared with plant cellulose, the advantages of using BC are that BC has higher chemical purity, does not contain hemicellulose or lignin, has better hydrophilicity and water retention capacity, has stronger tensile strength due to the ultrafine network structure, and has an increased degree of polymerization.

Applications of Bacterial Nanocellulose in Food and Electronic Industries

Julia Didier Pedrosa de Amorim, et al. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 2020, 18, 851-869.

· Food Industry
Bacterial cellulose is used as a thickener, stabilizer and gelling agent in the food industry and is recommended for use in processed foods to improve their quality. For example, bacterial cellulose is used as a raw material for making cream, for forming edible leaves or films, as a fat substitute, texture improver, emulsifier stabilizer pickering, and as a fixative for probiotics and enzymes. In addition, Albuquerque et al. developed a polymer blend containing bacterial cellulose and poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) activated by clove essential oil for active food packaging.
· Electronic Devices
Bacterial fibers can meet the demand for biodegradable polymers in the field of electronic devices. Wan et al. reported the simultaneous deposition of polyaniline on the surface of bacterial cellulose nanofibers and graphene nanosheets, thereby obtaining a ternary composite with improved electrical conductivity on the bacterial cellulose/graphene nanosheet nanocomposite. Xie et al. produced a biocompatible composite composed of bacterial cellulose and flexible conductive polydopamine with dual electronic and ionic conductivity.