Nanostructured biocomposites based on bacterial cellulosic nanofibers compartmentalized by a soft hydroxyethylcellulose matrix coating

• Biomimetic approaches involving environmentally-friendly synthetic pathways provide an opportunity to elaborate novel high-performance biocomposites. Here we have developed a low-energy biosynthetic system for the production of a high-strength composite material consisting of self-assembled and nanostructured cellulosic nanofibers. This biocomposite is analogous to natural composite materials with high strength and hierarchical organization such as wood or tendon. It was generated by growing the bacterium Acetobacter, which naturally produces cellulosic nanofibers, in the presence of hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC). Individual cellulose fibrils were coated by HEC and exhibited a smaller lateral dimension than pure bacterial cellulose (BC) fibrils. They self-assembled to form compartmentalized nanofibers and larger cellulose fibril aggregates compared to pure BC. The tensile strength of nanocomposite films prepared from the compartmentalized cellulosic nanofibers was 20% higher than that of pure BC sheets and wood cellulose nanopapers, and 60% higher than that of conventional BC/HEC blends, while no strain-to-failure decrease was observed. The thin nanoscale coating consisting of hydrated HEC significantly increased the mechanical performance of the nanocomposite films by provoking compartmentalization of individual fibrils.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Kompositmaterial och -teknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Composite Science and Engineering (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Nanoteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Nano-technology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Acetobacters

Bacterial cellulose

Bio-composites

Biocomposite

Environmentally-friendly

Hierarchical organizations

High strength

High-strength composites

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Lateral dimension

Low energies

Matrix coating

Mechanical performance

Nano-scale coatings

Nano-structured

Nanocomposite film

Natural composite materials

Self-assembled

Synthetic pathways

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)