Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Dairy and Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #376704
Research Project: In Vitro Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem: Effects of Diet

Location: Dairy and Functional Foods Research

Title: Characterization of Bacterial Cellulose Nanocrystals: Effect of Acid Treatments and Neutralization

Author
item ARSERIM-UCAR, KERIMAN - Izmir Institute Of Technology
item KOREL, FIGEN - Izmir Institute Of Technology
item Liu, Linshu
item YAM, KIT - Rutgers University

Submitted to: Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/7/2020
Publication Date: 7/14/2020
Citation: Arserim-Ucar, K., Korel, F., Liu, L.S., Yam, K.L. 2020. Characterization of bacterial cellulose nanocrystals: Effect of acid treatments and neutralization. Food Chemistry. 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127597.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127597

Interpretive Summary: Bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNC) have demonstrated valuable uses in medical, pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. Currently, BCNC is produced by acid extraction that generates negatively charged surfaces, the resultant BCNC can be homogeneously dispersed in aqueous suspension and form stable colloids. However, the crystal is small and thermally unstable. The present study optimized the operation conditions of hydrolysis time, acid concentration, acid/mass ratio and post extraction treatment. The BCNC made by the improved method are thermally stable, possess higher crystallinity and larger crystal size, and proper morphology. With these advanced properties, BCNC is expected to have further applications.

Technical Abstract: In this study, bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNCs) were obtained from controlled hydrolysis of sulfuric and hydrochloric acids. The influence of hydrolysis temperature and acid type with the addition of the post-treatment step were studied. The obtained BCNCs were analyzed based on the structural characterization and the crystal properties. The BCNCs crystallinity increased, and the size of crystals decreased with increasing 10°C hydrolysis temperature for both acid hydrolysis conditions. Hydrolysis conditions with neutralization post-treatment did not alter the thermal stability of crystals and BCNCs had high thermal stability like raw bacterial cellulose fibers (BCFs). Elemental analysis results indicated that sulfur content (S %) was very low for sulfuric acid hydrolyzed samples, and x-ray results did not show any sulfate salt peaks. Thermal stable BCNCs with high crystallinity and good colloidal stability, were successfully produced to meet the process requirements in various applications, especially in the food industry.