In-situ glyoxalization during biosynthesis of bacterial cellulose.
A novel method to synthesize highly crosslinked bacterial cellulose (BC) is reported. The glyoxalization is started in-situ, in the culture medium during biosynthesis of cellulose by Gluconacetobacter medellensis bacteria. Strong crosslinked networks were formed in the contact areas between extruded cellulose ribbons by reaction with the glyoxal precursors. The crystalline structure of cellulose was preserved while the acidic component of the surface energy was reduced. As a consequence, its predominant acidic character and the relative contribution of the dispersive component increased, endowing the BC network with a higher hydrophobicity. This route for in-situ crosslinking is expected to facilitate other modifications upon biosynthesis of cellulose ribbons by microorganisms and to engineer the strength and surface energy of their networks.
School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Circular 1 no. 70-01, Medellín, Colombia. Electronic address: cristina.castro@upb.edu.co.
Cristina
C
Castro
Competence Centre in Exact Science and Engineering, University of Madeira, 9000-390 Funchal, Portugal.
Nereida
N
Cordeiro
Competence Centre in Exact Science and Engineering, University of Madeira, 9000-390 Funchal, Portugal.
Marisa
M
Faria
School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Circular 1 no. 70-01, Medellín, Colombia. Electronic address: robin.zuluaga@upb.edu.co.
Robin
R
Zuluaga
Centre de Recherches sur les Macromolécules Végétales (CERMAV-CNRS), Affiliated with Université Joseph, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 9, France.
Jean-Luc
JL
Putaux
Biobased Colloids and Materials group (BiCMat), Department of Forest Products Technology, Aalto University, School of Chemical Technology, P.O. Box 16300, 00076 Aalto, Espoo, Finland.
Ilari
I
Filpponen
School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Circular 1 no. 70-01, Medellín, Colombia.
Lina
L
Velez
Biobased Colloids and Materials group (BiCMat), Department of Forest Products Technology, Aalto University, School of Chemical Technology, P.O. Box 16300, 00076 Aalto, Espoo, Finland.
Orlando J
OJ
Rojas
School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Circular 1 no. 70-01, Medellín, Colombia.
Piedad
P
Gañán
D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D041821:Gluconacetobacter / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006037:Glyoxal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D003470:Culture Media; D006037:Glyoxal; D002482:Cellulose
Bacterial cellulose; Crosslinking; Gluconacetobacter medellensis; Glyoxal; Surface energy