MICROBIAL CELLULOSE

  • has long been used in foods in Asian countries
  • different properties from wood-derived cellulose
  • high crystallinity, high degree of polymerization,
  • high tensile strength and tear resistance, and high hydrophilicity

    • Current Applications

  • dessert foods
  • sensitive diaphragms for stereo headphones
  • dressing for wounds
  • temporary replacement for skin
  • strengthens paper

    • Future Applications

  • filter membranes and special paper

    • History

    Thousands of small producers in the Republic of the Philippines used coconut milk and open static-tray cultures to make microbial cellulose for sale to Japanese companies. Most of this production has shifted to Japan. A deep-culture, agitated process has been commercialized to produce "reticulated" cellulose that is not related to the gel (pellicular) form.

    Environmental considerations

    Acetobacter xylinium.

    The cellulose is extruded from the cells as fibrils:

    This a micrograph of the gel or pellicle:

     Photomicrograph from the literature

    At R.P.I. we have shown very rapid production of microbial cellulose in a film reactor. Initiation of the pellicle of cellulose and its growth in a rotating disk reactor far outpace the surface cultures used elsewhere because of great air-liquid interfacial area for superior oxygen transfer. 

    NEXT