Engineering and Characterization of Bacterial Nanocellulose Films as Low Cost and Flexible Sensor Material

Abstract

Some bacterial strains such as Komagataeibacter xylinus are able to produce cellulose as an extracellular matrix. In comparison to wood-based cellulose, bacterial cellulose (BC) holds interesting properties such as biodegradability, high purity, water-holding capacity, and superior mechanical and structural properties. Aiming toward improvement in BC production titer and tailored alterations to the BC film, we engineered K. xylinus to overexpress partial and complete bacterial cellulose synthase operon that encodes activities for BC production. The changes in cell growth, end metabolite, and BC production titers from the engineered strains were compared with the wild-type K. xylinus. Although there were no significant differences between the growth of wild-type and engineered strains, the engineered K. xylinus strains demonstrated faster BC production, generating 2-4-fold higher production titer (the highest observed titer was obtained with K. xylinus-bcsABCD strain producing 4.3 ± 0.46 g/L BC in 4 days). The mechanical and structural characteristics of cellulose produced from the wild-type and engineered K. xylinus strains were analyzed with a stylus profilometer, in-house built tensile strength measurement system, a scanning electron microscope, and an X-ray diffractometer. Results from the profilometer indicated that the engineered K. xylinus strains produced thicker BC films (wild type, 5.1 μm, and engineered K. xylinus strains, 6.2-10.2 μm). Scanning electron microscope revealed no principal differences in the structure of the different type BC films. The crystallinity index of all films was high (from 88.6 to 97.5%). All BC films showed significant piezoelectric response (5.0-20 pC/N), indicating BC as a promising sensor material.

Preparation and Properties of Cassava Residue Cellulose Nanofibril/Cassava Starch Composite Films

“…However, overall, the CNF modification process did not significantly reduce the crystallinity, even if the crystallinity was lower than bacterial cellulose, and the CNF still maintained its crystallinity. Therefore, the reinforcement effect of the CNF on materials would be maintained [35,43]. Figure 6a,b shows the thermogravimetric (TG) and derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) curves of the CNF and modified CNF.…”

Ultrasensitive Physical, Bio, and Chemical Sensors Derived from 1‐, 2‐, and 3‐D Nanocellulosic Materials

“…In contrast to wood‐derived cellulose, BC has interesting properties including high purity, superior water‐holding capacity, and excellent mechanical and structural properties 77. Furthermore, all BC films exhibit significant piezoelectric response (5.0–20 pC N −1 ), allowing BC to be used as a sensing material 85. Farjana et al86 fabricated conductive BC films (thickness of 25–65 µm) by modifying the BC pellicles with double‐walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), which can be used as strain sensors.…”

“…[77] Furthermore, all BC films exhibit significant piezoelectric response (5.0-20 pC N −1 ), allowing BC to be used as a sensing material. [85] Farjana et al [86] fabricated conductive BC films (thickness of 25-65 µm) by modifying the BC pellicles with double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), which can be used as strain sensors.…”

Design and Synthesis of Fluorescent Nanocelluloses for Sensing and Bioimaging Applications

“…have fabricated low‐cost and flexible piezoelectric sensors based on BNCs. This novel inorganic‐organic composite material broadens the field of electrical portable sensors and has been often developed for medical devices and health monitoring by virtue of its nontoxicity . Visible optical sensor devices based on NCs are also available.…”

“…This novel inorganic-organic composite material broadens the field of electrical portable sensors and has been often developed for medical devices and health monitoring by virtue of its nontoxicity. [44,45,46] Visible optical sensor devices based on NCs are also available. Gao et al have prepared a kind of CNCs-PVP composite membrane, which realized the color response of different organic solvents by using the irisated liquid crystal properties of CNCs.…”