Bacterial Nanocellulose - Introduction and Applications
Bacterial NanoCellulose is a versatile, eco-friendly and efficient Nanomaterial, made from agro-industrial substrates and materials.
With great potential for uses and applications globally in different industries.
Bacterial NanoCellulose, despite being a NanoMaterial with great potential for uses and applications worldwide, is little known by industrial sectors and consumers.
The demand for Bacterial NanoCellulose for different applications is growing and it is necessary to research and implement production projects at an industrial level to meet the demand and consumption.
In each country and region of the world there are diverse compatible and usable substrates, materials and agro-industrial residues for the production of Bacterial NanoCellulose.
What is Bacterial Nanocellulose?
Bacterial Nano Cellulose (BC) is a natural polymer that has many relevant characteristics such as high affinity for water, viscosity and porosity.
These properties allow its use in various fields of human life and also its possible use for novel applications.
The first mention of Bacterial Nanocellulose (BC) dates back to 1886 in an article published by Brown, who discovered a gelatinous film that covered the entire surface of a medium containing glucose.
Fifty years later, it was shown that its chemical structure was similar to that of plant cellulose. The properties of Bacterial Nano Cellulose (BC) are believed to be better than the properties of the corresponding vegetable.
Bacterial Nanocellulose (BC) Has the ability to retain moisture at 309 g of water per gram of dry weight and withstands untreated and subsequent temperatures of up to 150 °C. Chemical treatment at approximately 275 °C [21] allows the polymer to dry without compromising the structure of the material. At the same time, Bacterial Nanocellulose (BC) has excellent elasticity and plasticity.
Due to its biocompatibility, high purity, and absence of impurities such as lignin, pectin, and hemicellulose, Bacterial Nanocellulose (BC) is non-toxic, making it suitable for medical and food applications.
These properties allow Bacterial Cellulose (BC) to be used as a drug delivery system, wound dressing, tissue engineering agent, and stabilizer.
In addition, the production of Bacterial Cellulose (BC) is more environmentally friendly compared to the chemical method used to obtain vegetable cellulose, due to the use of carbon disulfide (CS2) and heavy metals.
Comments