This document summarizes research on developing a bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotube nanocomposite for sensor applications. Scanning electron microscopy images showed the polymer-modified carbon nanotubes were well dispersed within the bacterial cellulose without agglomeration. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated interactions between the carbon nanotubes and bacterial cellulose through hydrogen bonding of hydroxyl and carbonyl groups. Thermogravimetric analysis found the bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotube nanocomposite had higher thermal properties compared to bacterial cellulose alone. The nanocomposite aims to provide a well-dispersed conductive scaffold for potential use in quickly detecting diseases.

1. Copyright © 2013 American Scientific Publishers
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Journal of
Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
Vol. 3, 1–4, 2013
High Dispersivity Bacterial Cellulose/Carbon Nanotube
Nanocomposite for Sensor Applications
Gabriel Molina Olyveira1 ∗ , Ligia Maria Manzine Costa2 , and Pierre Basmaji3
1
Department of Physical Chemistry, UNESP/Araraquara, 14800-900, Brazil
Department of Nanoscience and Advanced Materials-UFABC, Rua Santa Adélia, 166,
Santo André-SP, 09291-170, Brazil
3
Innovatec’s-Biotechnology Research and Development, São Carlos-SP, 13560-042, Brazil
2
Bacterial cellulose (BC) has established to be a remarkably versatile biomaterial and can be used
in wide variety of applied scientific endeavors, especially for medical devices. In fact, biomedical
devices recently have gained a significant amount of attention because of increased interesting
tissue-engineered products for both wound care and the regeneration of damaged or diseased
organs. The architecture of BC materials can be engineered over length scales ranging from nano
to macro by controlling the biofabrication process, besides, surface modifications bring a vital role
in in vivo performance of biomaterials. In this work, bacterial cellulose fermentation was modified
with carbon nanotubes for sensor applications and diseases diagnostic. SEM images showed that
polymer modified-carbon nanotube (PVOH-carbon nanotube) produced well dispersed system and
without agglomeration. Influences of carbon nanotube in bacterial cellulose were analyzed by FTIR.
TGA showed higher thermal properties of developed bionanocomposites.
Keywords:
∗
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Biomater. Tissue Eng. 2013, Vol. 3, No. 6
Transparent nanocomposites were fabricated by incorporating an aqueous silk fibroin solution into bacterial cellulose membranes. Another researches produced bacterial
cellulose/carbon nanotubes by dipping in carbon nanotubes solution,13 by covalently bonded multiwalled carbon
nanotube and cellulose14 and by changing bacterial cellulose culture medium with acid-treated multi-walled carbon
nanotubes (MWNTs).15 However, poor dispersed system
were produced. In theory, disease occurs in patients with
inherited genetic predisposition or induced, which were
exposed to secondary cofactors so a quickly detect with
biocomposites are of great interest nowadays in academic
and industrial sectors. In this scope a well dispersed conductive scaffolds with bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotube
were produced by changing bacterial cellulose with polymer modified-carbon nanotube (PVOH-carbon nanotube).
Influences of carbon nanotube in bacterial cellulose were
analyzed by FTIR. TGA showed higher thermal properties
of developed bionanocomposites.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1. Materials
Bacterial cellulose membranes were supplied from
Innovatec’s—Produtos Biotecnológicos Ltda—Brazil.
2157-9083/2013/3/001/004
doi:10.1166/jbt.2013.1127
1
RESEARCH ARTICLE
1. INTRODUCTION
Conductive nanomaterials are of great interest nowadays
in academic and industrial sectors.1 Organic electronic
devices have showed versatility in a wide range of applications including consumer electronics, photovoltaics and
biotechnology.2 Of particular interest is the potential to
fabricate biomaterials into the structural components for
medicine devices.3 4 In this context, cellulose that is produced by bacteria has attracted researchers by changing
structural features of microbial cellulose modifying its culture medium or surface modification by physical5–7 and
chemical methods which have major applications in the
medical area.8 9 However, bacterial cellulose has shown
very promising characteristics for reinforcement material
for composites with conductive properties.10 In this context, several papers has deal with preparation of bacterial
cellulose-based conductive materials using carbon nanotube. Kim et al.11 obtained single-walled carbon nanotubes
(SWCNTs)/bacterial composites embedding into a transparent polymer and Jung et al.12 produced electrically conductive transparent materials based on multiwalled carbon
nanotubes (MWCNTs).

2. High Dispersivity Bacterial Cellulose/Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposite for Sensor Applications
Carbon nanotube (MWCNT) powdered as produced cylinders and poly(vinyl alcohol—Mw ∼ 7,200—PVOH) were
supplied from Sigma Aldrich.
(a)
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1. SEM Images
Bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotube were characterized by
SEM. Figure 1 shows, as an example, SEM image of (a)
bacterial cellulose formation and (b) bacterial cellulose/
carbon nanotubes. These results confirm that there were
interaction between carbon nanotubes-PVOH and bacterial cellulose by changing bacterial cellulose culture
medium.16 17
3.2. FTIR
Influences of carbon nanotubes-PVOH in bacterial cellulose were analyzed in the range between 250 and
4000 cm−1 and with resolution of 2 cm−1 with FTIR
analysis. The main features of the bacterial cellulose
in infrared spectroscopy is: 3500 cm−1 : OH stretching,
2900 cm−1 : CH stretching of alkane and asymmetric CH2 stretching, 2700 cm−1 : CH2 symmetric stretching, 1640 cm−1 : OH deformation, 1400 cm−1 : CH2
2
(b)
Fig. 1. (a) Bacterial cellulose; (b) Bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotube.
deformation, 1370 cm−1 : CH3 deformation, 1340 cm−1 :
OH deformation and 1320–1030 cm−1 : CO deformation.18
In Figure 2, it can be observed that in carbon nanotube/bacterial cellulose mats, it obtained changes in
symmetrical stretching CH2 bonds of bacterial cellulose
structures in 1640 cm−1 and another absorption peak was
obtained in the range of 1490 cm−1 , which shows the presence of a carbonyl group in the bacterial cellulose together
with bonds corresponding to those of glycoside, including
C O C at 1162 cm−1 (as in case of natural cellulose).19
These results clearly shows one possible interaction
between bacterial cellulose and carbon nanotubes-PVOH
80
70
Transmittance (a.u)
RESEARCH ARTICLE
2.2. Methods
2.2.1. Synthesis and Fermentation of
Bacterial Cellulose
The acetic fermentation process is achieved by using
the sugar as carbohydrate source. Results of this process would be vinegar and a nanobiocellulose biomass.
The modified process is based on the addition of carbon
nanotubes-PVOH (1% w/w) to the culture medium before
bacteria are inoculated. After being added to the culture
medium, the medium is autoclaved at 100 celsius degree.
Then, bacterial Cellulose (BC) produced by Gram-negative
bacteria Gluconacetobacter xylinus can be obtained from
the culture medium in the pure 3-D structure consisting of
an ultra fine network of cellulose nanofibers.
2.3. Characterization
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)—Scanning electronic microscopy images were performed on a PHILIPS
XL30 FEG. The samples were covered with gold and silver paint for electrical contact and to perform the necessary images.
Transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, Perkin Elmer
Spectrum 1000)—Influences of carbon nanotube on bacterial cellulose was analyzed in the range between 250 and
4000 cm−1 and with resolution of 2 cm−1 with samples.
Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) was carried out
for bionanocomposite using a NETZSCH TG 209F1. The
samples were heated from 25 C to 800 C, at 10 degree/
min in inert (nitrogen) atmosphere. The weight of all specimens was maintained around 10 mg.
Olyveira et al.
60
50
40
30
20
10
BC
BC/carbon nanotubes
0
–10
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
wavelength (nm)
Fig. 2. FTIR spectra of bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotubes.
J. Biomater. Tissue Eng. 3, 1–4, 2013

3. Olyveira et al.
High Dispersivity Bacterial Cellulose/Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposite for Sensor Applications
mainly by hydrogen interactions between hydroxyl and carbonyl groups.
100
bc
Weight (%)
80
60
40
20
0
100
200
300
400
500
Temperature (Celsius)
1.6
1.4
DTG bc
3.3. TGA
In order to analyze thermal behavior for bionanocomposites are characterized typical weight loss verses temperature plots. The TG spectrum (Fig. 3) shows a weak loss
of weight due to the evaporation of water (at temp. 85 C)
and also quick drop in weight at a temperature of approx.
300 C is mainly attributed to thermal depolymerization
of hemicellulose and the cleavage of glycosidic linkages
of cellulose,20 21 complete degradation of cellulose take
place between 275 and 400 C.22 23 It can be observed
that in comparison, bacterial cellulose and bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotubes, PVOH has its degradation at 225 C
and carbon nanotube at 425 C.24 25
1.2
DTG
4. CONCLUSIONS
0.8
Bacterial cellulose with its characteristics like nanofibers
size and distribution, mechanical properties, compatibility
and ability to mold is a biomaterial indispensable in health
area. It was the intention of this work to broaden knowledge
in this subject area and stimulate the practical application
of bacterial cellulose with new materials and biocomposites
obtained with modified fermentation for potential applications for sensor applications and diseases diagnostic. In
this scope a well dispersed conductive scaffolds with bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotube were produced by changing
bacterial cellulose with polymer modified-carbon nanotube
(PVOH-carbon nanotube).
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
0
100
200
300
400
500
Temperature (Celsius)
100
Bc/carbon nanotube
Weight (%)
80
60
References and Notes
40
20
0
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Temperature (Celsius)
1.2
DTGbc/carbon nanotube
1.0
DTG
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Temperature (Celsius)
Fig. 3. TGA thermogram of bacterial cellulose and bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotube.
J. Biomater. Tissue Eng. 3, 1–4, 2013
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Received: XX Xxxxx XXXX. Accepted: XX Xxxxx XXXX.
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