Physical chemistry properties influences in bacterial cellulose biocomposites

Abstract

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is established as a new biomaterial, and it can be used for medical and dentistry applications. In addition, it has called attention for uses such as membrane for wound care and regenerative medicine. In this work, the bacterial cellulose fermentation process was modified by the addition of chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid to the culture medium before the inoculation of the bacteria, in order to change the crystallinity of the membranes for suitable drug delivery applications. For medical applications, the membranes were sterilized with gamma irradiation. The structural changes in membranes were characterized with solid-state NMR spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The changes resulted in membranes with different physical chemistry properties mainly in surface, regarding of chemical group's deposition and drug delivery. XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) and Calcium delivery results by AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy) showed that there is calcium phosphate on the surface but in bulk material too and that calcium phosphate phases with different crystallin 7 D and Ca/P ratios gives different calcium delivery in the aqueous solution.