Agrowaste-Derived ‘Natural’ Carbon Nanomaterials (NCNM) with Versatile Applications: Bacterial Cellulose
摘要
Bacterial CelluloseCellulose (BC)Bacterial cellulose (BC), a natural Carbon Nanomaterial (NCNM) is an extracellular polysaccharide produced fermentatively by specific bacterial genera. In static conditions, BC is produced at the air–liquid interface, as an easily visible moist hydrogel pellicle in a chemically ‘pure’ form. The pellicle contains individual fibers ~70 nm in width, forming bundles ~130 nm in thickness, which are crystalline in nature. Thus, the carbohydrate polymer (containing only C, H, and O as its constituents) per se qualifies as a ‘natural’ nanomaterial obtained by fermentation of agro wastes, which serve as carbon sources. The peculiar physicochemical and mechanicalMechanical properties of bacterial celluloseCellulose, such as its purity, water-holding capacity, high tensile strengthTensile strength, flexibilityFlexibility, mouldability, sterilizable nature, high Young's modulus, and biological properties such as non-immunogenic and non-toxic nature, biocompatibilityBiocompatibility make it an appropriate material for biomedical and non-biomedical applicationsBiomedical applications. Bacterial celluloseCellulose is easily convertible into carbon nanotubes and aerogels, which can have several applications such as biosensing, manufacture of reinforced materials, materials with thermalThermal resistance characteristics, etc. The chapter overviews bacterial celluloseCellulose production using agro wastes and its applications.