抄録
Bacterial cellulose (BC), which is produced by Acetobacter xylinum (A. xylinum) in culture, is made up of a three dimensional network of ribbon-shaped bundles of cellulose microfibrils. Recently, novel techniques to prepare shape-controlled BC hydrogels having various shapes such as tubular and hollow sphere have been reported, and are reviewed here. In order to reinforce these BC hydrogels, preparation of BC composites incorporated with hydrophilic polymers or inorganic materials are attempted. For instance, two methods such as so-called culture method and soaking method are adopted. In culture method, A. xylinum is incubated in medium containing dispersoids. In soaking method, BC hydrogel is immersed in e.g. silica sols, then silica particles diffuse into the BC hydrogel and lodge in the spaces between the ribbon-shaped fibrils. If we can use porous BC aerogel, preparation of the hybrids will be readily available. BC hydrogel has three dimensional network of ribbon-shaped fibrils, and pores between the fibrils are filled with water. When the BC hydrogel is dried by using supercritical CO2 fluid, then water in the pores is replaced with CO2 and BC aerogel can be obtained just maintaining the structure in BC hydrogel. In this paper, composite materials using BC aerogel is also reviewed.
https://ror.org/05jk51a88 
