Production and Characterization of Porous Bacteria Cellulose for Biomedical Use
Project no. 20231 · Status: Kapanmış · 2018
Summary
Bacterial cellulose (BS), which is biocompatible, easy to produce, has high tensile strength, has high water retention with its nanofibrile network structure, is a natural polymer produced by some microorganisms. Being a good candidate for medical applications, BS also has potential in skin substitution studies due to its membrane structure. However, dense nanocellulose fibers do not allow cell attachment and migration. In this thesis, in situ production, modification and characterization of BS with adequate pore diameter that can be used as skin substitution is aimed. BS was produced by using Glucanoacetobacter xylinus ATCC 700178 strain by two different methods (agar spliting and agar dropping) by increasing the pore diameter between cellulose nanofibrils and then modified with keratin, an important component of the skin. Waste human hair was used as the source of keratin and keratin was obtained by Shindai extraction. The characterization of the material by absorbing the keratin solution into BS membranes was carried out by FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectrometer), SEM (Scanning electron microscope) and physical strength tests. As a result, BS was produced with a pore diameter (> 100 µm) containing keratin and a 0,5-1N strength.