Structural Properties of Bacterial Cellulose Film Obtained on a Substrate Containing Sweet Potato Waste

Abstract

The paper presents the results of research on the microstructure of bacterial cellulose (BC-SP) obtained on a medium containing sweet potato peel, which was compared to cellulose obtained on a synthetic medium containing sucrose and peptone (BC-N). The properties of cellulose were analyzed using the methods: size exclusion chromatography (SEC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and computer microtomograph (X-ray micro-CT). BC-SP was characterized by a higher degree of polymerization (5680) and a lower porosity (1.45%) than BC-N (4879, 3.27%). These properties give great opportunities to cellulose for various applications, e.g., the production of paper or pulp. At the same time, for BC-SP, a low value of relative crystallinity was found, which is an important feature from the point of view of the mechanical properties of the polymer. Nevertheless, these studies are important and constitute an important source of knowledge on the possibility of using cheap waste plant materials as potential microbiological substrates for the cultivation of cellulose-synthesizing micro-organisms with specific properties.