Novo aloe vera-bacterial cellulose composite film from biosynthesis

A novo bio-polymer composite film of cellulose and aloe vera gel was developed by means of adding aloe vera gel in the culture medium during biosynthesis using Acetobacter xylinum in static cultivation. The interaction between bacterial cellulose (BC) fibrils and aloe vera gel was illustrated via FTIR analysis. With the 30% v/v aloe gel supplement in the culture medium, a fibre-reinforced bio-polymer film displayed significantly improved properties in mechanical strength, crystallinity, water absorption capacity and water vapor permeability in comparison to those of the unmodified BC film. The average pore size of the modified film either in the dry or re-swollen form was approximately reduced to 1/5 of those of the unmodified BC films with a narrow pore size distribution. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.