Composites of bacterial cellulose and paper made with a rotating disk bioreactor.
Suspended solids in the nutrient medium for Acetobacter xylinium in a rotating disk bioreactor become incorporated into the gelatinous mat of bacterial cellulose as it forms. Embedding fibers of ordinary cellulose creates composites with enhanced strength and the toughness of bacterial cellulose. Purified cellulose and elongated fibers from paper are incorporated differently than are spherical particles such as silica gel. About 90% of the final cellulose can come from scrap paper, and dried composite sheets were much stronger than plain bacterial cellulose per unit area.
Mormino
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H.P. Isermann Department of Chemical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180-3590, USA.
Bungay
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D019149:Bioreactors; D002482:Cellulose / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000737:chemistry; D041822:Gluconacetobacter xylinus / Q000378:metabolism*; D010209:Paper; D058428:Silica Gel; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D013718:Tensile Strength
D045424:Complex Mixtures; D058428:Silica Gel; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D002482:Cellulose