Detailed Structural Analyses of Nanofibrillated Bacterial Cellulose and Its Application as Binder Material for a Display Device.

Nanofibrillated bacterial cellulose (NFBC) is produced by culturing a cellulose-producing bacterium under agitated aerobic conditions in a carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)-supplemented medium. Detailed structural analyses revealed that NFBC fiber widths varied with the degree of substitution of the CMC used, and zeta potential values decreased with the increment of CMC concentration in the medium. Transmission electron microscopy observation after immunostaining demonstrated that CMC molecules were present on the NFBC microfibril surfaces. We tested NFBC for utility as a binder for a display device that uses electrochromic (EC) material. Introduction of a quaternary ammonium group into the EC molecules enhanced their interactions with the negatively charged NFBC microfibrils. A casting process homogeneously adsorbed the EC molecules onto the surface of a transparent electrode with NFBC. A homogeneous color change was successfully observed upon applying an electric field, suggesting that NFBC could be used as a binder material for uniform surface adsorption.

One-Step Production of Amphiphilic Nanofibrillated Cellulose Using a Cellulose-Producing Bacterium.

Nanofibrillated bacterial cellulose (NFBC) is produced by culturing a cellulose-producing bacterium (Gluconacetobacter intermedius NEDO-01) with rotation or agitation in medium supplemented with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). Despite a high yield and dispersibility in water, the product immediately aggregates in organic solvents. To broaden its applicability, we prepared amphiphilic NFBC by culturing strain NEDO-01 in medium supplemented with hydroxyethylcellulose or hydroxypropylcellulose instead of CMC. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that the resultant materials (HE-NFBC and HP-NFBC, respectively) comprised relatively uniform fibers with diameters of 33 ± 7 and 42 ± 8 nm, respectively. HP-NFBC was dispersible in polar organic solvents such as methanol, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran (THF), and dimethylformamide, and was also dispersible in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by solvent mixing using THF. HP-NFBC/PMMA composite films were highly transparent and had a higher tensile strength than neat PMMA film. Thus, HP-NFBC has a broad range of applications, including as a filler material.

Cationic cellulose hydrogels cross-linked by poly(ethylene glycol): Preparation, molecular dynamics, and adsorption of anionic dyes.

Cationic cellulose hydrogels (CCGs) were prepared from quaternized celluloses with degrees of substitution (DS) of 0.56, 0.84, and 1.33, by the cross-linking reaction with poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether as a cross-linker. The CCGs exhibited swelling behavior in aqueous solutions, which was not affected by pH and temperature of the solution because of the presence of quaternary ammonium groups in their structures. The CCGs showed adsorption ability toward anionic dyes in aqueous solution, which increased with increasing DS. The dye adsorption was found to follow the pseudo-second order kinetic model and the equilibrium isotherm data can be described by the Langmuir adsorption model. In addition, the CCGs could be regenerated and proved to be recyclable adsorbents for wastewater treatment.