Morphological Characterisation of Bacterial Cellulose-Starch Nanocomposites

Acetobacter sp. growing medium was modified in order to produce bacterial cellulose (BC) nanocomposites using a bottom-up technique that allowed starch to be introduced into the cellulose network. The BC-starch mats were hot-pressed to obtain nanocomposites sheets. Morphological characterisation was carried out using Atomic Force Microscopy and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy. The images obtained from microscopy were then processed using image analysis. Network properties, such as mesh size and fibre orientation were characterised. Fracture surfaces of these new nanocomposites were analysed.

[1]  Paul Gatenholm,et al.  In vivo biocompatibility of bacterial cellulose. , 2006, Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A.

[2]  Yoshihito Osada,et al.  High Mechanical Strength Double‐Network Hydrogel with Bacterial Cellulose , 2004 .

[3]  Paul Gatenholm,et al.  Mechanical properties of bacterial cellulose and interactions with smooth muscle cells. , 2006, Biomaterials.

[4]  Hiroyuki Yano,et al.  Optically Transparent Composites Reinforced with Networks of Bacterial Nanofibers , 2005 .

[5]  Hyoung-Joon Jin,et al.  Electrically conductive bacterial cellulose by incorporation of carbon nanotubes. , 2006, Biomacromolecules.

[6]  Y. Nishi,et al.  The structure and mechanical properties of sheets prepared from bacterial cellulose , 1990 .

[7]  A. Dufresne,et al.  Plasticized waxy maize starch: effect of polyols and relative humidity on material properties. , 2002, Biomacromolecules.

[8]  M. Grossmann,et al.  Relationships among the composition and physicochemical properties of starches with the characteristics of their films. , 2004, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[9]  D. Kaplan,et al.  Bacterial cellulose as a potential scaffold for tissue engineering of cartilage. , 2005, Biomaterials.

[10]  Dieter Klemm,et al.  Bacterial synthesized cellulose — artificial blood vessels for microsurgery , 2001 .

[11]  Masatoshi Iguchi,et al.  Bacterial cellulose—a masterpiece of nature's arts , 2000 .

[12]  A. N. Nakagaito,et al.  Bacterial cellulose: the ultimate nano-scalar cellulose morphology for the production of high-strength composites , 2005 .

[13]  Y. Nishi,et al.  The structure and mechanical properties of sheets prepared from bacterial cellulose , 1989 .