Biocomposites based on bacterial cellulose and apple and radish pulp

Bacterial cellulose (BC) pellicles obtained from an Acetobacter xylinum culture were disintegrated using mechanical methods to be used as reinforcement to produce biocomposite sheets with Apple and Radish Pulp. The nanosize disintegrated BC pellicles were blended with microsize apple and radish pulp in the wet state and then hot pressed to produce paper-like sheets. Thermal analysis was carried out by Thermogravimetry Analysis (TGA). Mechanical properties were assessed by Quasistatic Tensile Tests and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). High tensile moduli were obtained (up to 8 GPa) and a nearly linear dependence of Young's modulus on the BC volume fraction was observed. Morphological characterisation of biocomposite sheets and fracture surfaces performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed the structure of the disintegrated cellulose network and the failure mechanisms of the biocomposites.