In Situ Self-Assembled Nanocomposites from Bacterial Cellulose Reinforced with Eletrospun Poly(lactic acid)/Lipids Nanofibers

Xiang, Chunhui; Acevedo, Nuria C.

doi:10.3390/polym9050179

Open AccessArticle

In Situ Self-Assembled Nanocomposites from Bacterial Cellulose Reinforced with Eletrospun Poly(lactic acid)/Lipids Nanofibers

by

Chunhui Xiang

^1,*

and

Nuria C. Acevedo

^2,*

¹

Department of Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

²

Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Polymers 2017, 9(5), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9050179

Submission received: 16 April 2017 / Revised: 12 May 2017 / Accepted: 14 May 2017 / Published: 19 May 2017

(This article belongs to the Collection Polysaccharides)

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Abstract

The goal of this study is to explore a new strategy to improve the mechanical and hydrophobic properties of bacterial cellulose (BC) mats. The present work is the first to report the preparation of in situ self-assembled BC nanocomposites using electrospun hydrophobic poly(lactic acid) (PLA) or PLA/lipids (PLA/Lip) nanofiber mats as foundation for BC nanofiber growth. Adding electrospun PLA mats to the BC culture media led to a two-fold increase in toughness with a 52% increase in elongation of the nanocomposites with regard to BC. The incorporation of electrospun PLA and PLA/Lip nanofiber mats lowered the moisture regain and water vapor transmission of BC nanocomposites relative to pure BC mats. The interfacial bonding between the individual components of a nanocomposite is a key factor for the improvement of composite strength, stiffness, and barrier properties; thus additional strategies to improve interaction between hydrophilic BC and hydrophobic PLA fibers need to be explored.

Keywords: bacterial cellulose nanocomposites; in situ self-assembly; hydrophobicity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Xiang, C.; Acevedo, N.C. In Situ Self-Assembled Nanocomposites from Bacterial Cellulose Reinforced with Eletrospun Poly(lactic acid)/Lipids Nanofibers. Polymers 2017, 9, 179. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9050179

AMA Style

Xiang C, Acevedo NC. In Situ Self-Assembled Nanocomposites from Bacterial Cellulose Reinforced with Eletrospun Poly(lactic acid)/Lipids Nanofibers. Polymers. 2017; 9(5):179. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9050179

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xiang, Chunhui, and Nuria C. Acevedo. 2017. "In Situ Self-Assembled Nanocomposites from Bacterial Cellulose Reinforced with Eletrospun Poly(lactic acid)/Lipids Nanofibers" Polymers 9, no. 5: 179. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9050179

APA Style

Xiang, C., & Acevedo, N. C. (2017). In Situ Self-Assembled Nanocomposites from Bacterial Cellulose Reinforced with Eletrospun Poly(lactic acid)/Lipids Nanofibers. Polymers, 9(5), 179. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9050179

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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In Situ Self-Assembled Nanocomposites from Bacterial Cellulose Reinforced with Eletrospun Poly(lactic acid)/Lipids Nanofibers

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