Biofabrication of advanced functional materials using bacterial cellulose scaffolds

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12209265-B2
Application number	US-202418584254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2024
Priority date	Jan 14, 2021
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

A biofabrication method for producing cellulose-based materials. The method includes providing active cellulose-producing bacteria such as Gluconacetobacter and culturing media in a container; combining organic additives or inorganic additives with the active cellulose-producing bacteria in the container to produce a cellulose hydrogel matrix composed of entangled bacteria-produced cellulose nanofibers; controlling a concentration of the additives in the cellulose hydrogel matrix; and exposing the cellulose hydrogel matrix in selected thermal environment to create a biofabricated functional material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A biofabrication method comprising:
providing Gluconacetobacter in a container;
providing culturing media in the container;
coincubating additives with the Gluconacetobacter in the container to produce a cellulose hydrogel;
controlling a concentration of the additives in the cellulose hydrogel to form a composite precursor material; and
thermally processing the composite precursor material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additives comprise a chemical compound or salt as a source of nitrogen, iron, phosphorous, sulfur, or other chemical element of interest for impregnation or nanoparticle formation.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising forming a metallized aerogel from the thermally processed composite precursor material.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising forming a doped electrocatalyst from the thermally processed composite precursor material.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coincubating of the additives with the Gluconacetobacter in the container occurs at a temperature range between approximately 20-30° C.

6. A biofabrication method for producing cellulose-based materials, the method comprising:
providing active cellulose-producing bacteria and culturing media in a container;
combining organic additives or inorganic additives with the active cellulose-producing bacteria in the container to produce a cellulose hydrogel matrix composed of entangled bacteria-produced cellulose nanofibers;
controlling a concentration of the additives in the cellulose hydrogel matrix; and
exposing the cellulose hydrogel matrix in selected thermal environment to create a biofabricated functional material.

Assignees

• U S Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Res Labortary
• Us Army

Inventors

• Terrell Jessica L
• Jahnke Justin P

Classifications

• B01J35/33

  Electric or magnetic properties · CPC title

• C08L1/02

  Cellulose; Modified cellulose · CPC title

• C01B32/05 Primary

  Preparation or purification of carbon not covered by groups C01B32/15, C01B32/20, C01B32/25, C01B32/30 · CPC title

• H01B3/185

  Substances or derivates of cellulose · CPC title

• C12P19/04 Primary

  Polysaccharides, i.e. compounds containing more than five saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic bonds · CPC title