The deposition kinetics of silver nanoparticles on Au/SiO2 /PAH substrate was studied under in situ conditions using the QCM method and the ex situ SEM imaging. Because of low dissipation, the Sauerbrey equation was used for calculating the mass per unit area (coverage). Measurements were done for various bulk suspension concentrations, flow rates, and ionic strengths. It was shown that particle deposition for the low coverage regime is governed by the bulk mass transfer step that results in a linear increase of the coverage with the time. A comparison of QCM and SEM results showed that the hydration of the silver monolayers was negligible. This allowed one to derive a universal kinetic equation that describes the mass transfer rates in the cell as a function of the bulk concentration, flow rate, and diffusion coefficient. Measurements were also performed for longer times and for various ionic strengths where the deposition kinetics and the maximum coverage of particles were determined. The experimental data confirmed a significant increase in the maximum coverage with ionic strength. This was interpreted as due to the decreasing range of the electrostatic interactions among deposited particles. These results were adequately interpreted in terms of the extended random sequential adsorption (eRSA) model. Additionally, it was shown that the QCM data matched the ex situ SEM results, indicating that the monolayer hydration was also negligible for higher coverage range. These results derived for the model silver nanoparticle system can be exploited as reference data for the interpretation of protein adsorption kinetics where the dry mass is needed in order to assess the extent of hydration.

Komagataeibacter species are well‐recognized bionanocellulose ( BNC ) producers. This bacterial genus, formerly assigned to Gluconacetobacter , is known for its phenotypic diversity manifested by strain‐dependent carbon source preference, BNC production rate, pellicle structure, and strain stability. Here, we performed a comparative study of nineteen Komagataeibacter genomes, three of which were newly contributed in this work. We defined the core genome of the genus, clarified phylogenetic relationships among strains, and provided genetic evidence for the distinction between the two major clades, the K . xylinus and the K. hansenii . We found genomic traits, which likely contribute to the phenotypic diversity between the Komagataeibacter strains. These features include genome flexibility, carbohydrate uptake and regulation of its metabolism, exopolysaccharides synthesis, and the c‐di‐ GMP signaling network. In addition, this work provides a comprehensive functional annotation of carbohydrate metabolism pathways, such as those related to glucose, glycerol, acetan, levan, and cellulose. Findings of this multi‐genomic study expand understanding of the genetic variation within the Komagataeibacter genus and facilitate exploiting of its full potential for bionanocellulose production at the industrial scale.

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