X-ray Diffraction Study of Bacterial Nanocellulose Produced by Medusomyces Gisevii Sa-12 Cultured in Enzymatic Hydrolysates of Miscanthus

Abstract

Bacterial nanocellulose, which was produced by Medusomyces gisevii Sa-12 cultured in enzymatic hydrolysates of Miscanthus, was studied by X-ray diffraction. The characteristics of the supramolecular structure of the crystalline component of cellulose samples, such as the degree of crystallinity and the size and shape of elementary fibrils, were determined. The atomic structure was compared with the known structural models of cellulose, and the synthesized bacterial nanocellulose was shown to be cellulose Iα. The lengths and angles of the triclinic unit cell were determined. The composition of the culture medium made from enzymatic hydrolysates of Miscanthus was found to have an effect on the shape and size of elementary fibrils and have no effect on the degree of crystallinity and the fraction of cellulose allomorph Іα. The use of Medusomyces gisevii Sa-12 as the producing organism allows the preparation of bacterial nanocellulose with a high degree of crystallinity in the range of 86–93% containing cellulose allomorph Іα as the major component.