Biosynthesis of cellulose by acetobacter xylinum. I. Characterizations of bacterial cellulose

Abstract

The addition of a small amount of ethyl alcohol into the culture (0.5-% yeast extract and 2-% glucose; pH 5.9) resulted in a fast rate of multiplication of Acetobacter Xylinum. Cells metabolized glucose for two days forming a mat of cellulose microfibrils on the surface of the solution. It was a tough membrane which could not be torn easily. The product free from cells is as typical a native cellulose as cotton by X-ray analysis, but shows a preferential orienting tendency. DP of bacterial cellulose by the cupro-ammonium method was 5700, comparable to the value of ramie cellulose. Bacterial cellulose has more accessible parts for hydrochloric acid than ramie or Valonia cellulose. The mercerization process to prevent shrinkage of an undried bacterial cellulose membrane tends to produce a biaxially oriented sheet of regenerated cellulose. It was recognized that a preferential orientation of crystallites in bacterial cellulose affects the fine structures of heterogeneously acetylated and nitrated products. They are still available for the crystalline structural study of cellulose triacetate and trinitrate. © 1975, The Society of Polymer Science, Japan. All rights reserved.