Production of bacterial cellulose with various additives in a PCS rotating disk bioreactor and its material property analysis

Previous studies have demonstrated that bacterial cellulose (BC) can be semi-continuously produced by utilizing the plastic composite support-rotating disk bioreactor (PCS-RDB). In this study, different additives, such as microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel was used in this study), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), agar and sodium alginate, were added to the PCS-RDB culture medium to improve the BC productivity and material properties. The produced BC was then analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scan electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and strength analysis. Adding CMC and Avicel can increase the production of BC in PCS-RDB. The highest BC production reached (0.64 g/slice) when 0.8 % Avicel was added. Data from FTIR, XRD and SEM indicated that CMC and Avicel were incorporated into the BC during production, creating a disordered BC structure and thus reducing crystallinity. Both BCs and additive-altered BCs exhibited similar high water retention abilities (98.6-99 %). Additive-altered BCs exhibit similar strain but lower stress. BC production in PCS-RDB was improved by incorporating different additives, while the material properties of the produced BCs were also modified.