In this paper, we present a novel, ecologically friendly technology for the synthesis and modification of kombucha-derived bacterial cellulose in order to produce textiles of desired physicochemical and mechanical properties. The procedure of manufacturing cellulose in the form of a stable hydrogel bacterial cellulose (HGBC) ensures the desired properties for the application of such a material, e.g., in the textile industry. Bacterial cellulose was obtained from a yeast/bacteria kombucha culture (a symbiotic consortium also known as ''tea fungus'' or SCOBY) that is easy and cheap to breed. The process of bacterial cellulose manufacturing and modification was optimized in order to obtain a maximum recovery of raw materials, minimal energy consumption and ensure the use of only natural and renewable resources. The Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (
Titanium(IV) oxide is commonly used in photocatalysis. However, it has some drawbacks, e.g., a high rate of electron-hole recombination and a wide bandgap. In here, the surface of anodic titanium(IV) oxide (ATO) was modified with metal nanoparticles (gold, silver, and copper) in order to enhance its photoelectrochemical (PEC) and photocatalytic (PC) properties. SEM analysis revealed that Au, Ag, and Cu nanoparticles obtained on an ATO surface by chemical methods had an average diameter of 50 ± 10 nm, 30 ± 6 nm, and 25 ± 3 nm, respectively. Enhancement of photoelectrochemical water-splitting current efficiency in the wavelength range of 300–400 nm was observed due to the occurrence of the Schottky barriers. However, the nanoparticles had no effect on the current efficiency in the range of 400–600 nm which meant that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect was not observed. A rate of methyl red photodecomposition was improved after the modification of the ATO surface. The best results were obtained for ATO decorated with gold nanoparticles.
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