Synthesis and characterization of bacterial cellulose/alginate blend membranes

✍ Scribed by Muenduen Phisalaphong; Thapanar Suwanmajo; Pramote Tammarate

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 229 KB
• Volume: 107
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.27411

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Bacterial cellulose and alginate in an aqueous NaOH/urea solution were used as substrate materials for the fabrication of a novel blend membrane. The blend solution was cast onto a Teflon plate, coagulated in a 5 wt % CaCl~2~ aqueous solution, and then treated with a 1% HCl solution. Supercritical carbon dioxide drying was then applied for the formation of a nanoporous structure. The physical properties and morphology of the regenerated bacterial cellulose and blend membranes were characterized. The blend membrane with 80% bacterial cellulose/20 wt % alginate displayed a homogeneous structure and exhibited a better water adsorption capacity and water vapor transmission rate. However, the tensile strength and elongation at break of the film with a thickness of 0.09 mm slightly decreased to 3.38 MPa and 31.60%, respectively. The average pore size of the blend membrane was 10.60 Å with a 19.50 m^2^/g surface area. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008