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Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a type of cellulose produced by bacteria in a glucose-based medium that has more advantages than plant cellulose. The production of cellulose powders, however, has the characteristics affected due to physical treatments; thus, the objective of this research was to produce BC powder for use in paper production. BC was produced by agitation with oxygen flow at various rotational speeds to obtain a fragmented BC phase. BC samples were dried by a spray dryer to produce powder for paper making. The characterization of BC powder and paper samples was done by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile strength, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphological results showed optimum BC was produced at 300 rpm rotation speed with a 405.2 g yield, while the FTIR spectrum confirmed that the material is a cellulosic compound. TGA characterization of the optimum sample displayed thermal stability at 330 °C in the thermal analysis. Among the variations in rotational speed, the 300 rpm sample led to the highest Young's modulus value, 878 MPa, and the most improved surface morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (OPEFB) are abundant organic waste that contains cellulosic compound. This study aims to fabricate PCL/cellulose nanofiber bionanocomposites from OPEFB and to analyze their thermal and mechanical properties. Nanofiber cellulose with an average size of 32 nm was isolated from OPEFB by using alkaline condition and mechanicalmethods. This was proven by the presence of functional group analysed from the FT-IR spectrum and morphological analysis with TEM. Bio-nanocompositePCL/cellulose nanofiberfrom OPEFBwas further made in several variations, namely: 100%: 0%, 90%: 10%, 80%: 20%, 70%: 30%, 60%: 40%. The samples were then tested for their mechanical properties with tensile test to determine optimal results and the optimal ratio was 80%: 20% w/v, with tensile strength of about 8,830 Mpa and 40,78% strain. This is also proven by morphological analysis using SEM which shows a flat and homogeneous surface. The optimal sample was thermally analyzed using DSC and it is showed that the resulting bionanocomposite decomposed (Td) at 513.10°C through an exothermic process with a heat of 414.08 J/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation of scaffold from bacterial cellulose has been carried out. Chondrocyte cells have been placed on Bacterial Cellulose (BC) sterilization and then given with DMEM growth medium with 20% of FES. Growing cells were masured using a haemocytometer and also identified the dead cells with the aid of fixation. Apparently, it was found that cell growth measured at 1 mL cell is 2.44x105 cells/mL within 9 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]