Inclusion of solid particles in bacterial cellulose.

Depending upon the strain and the method of cultivation, bacterial cellulose can be reticulated filaments, pellets, or a dense, tough gel called a pellicle. The pellicular form is commonly made by surface culture, but a rotating disk bioreactor is more efficient and reduces the time of a run to about 3.5 days instead of the usual 12-20 days. Particles added to the medium as the gel is forming are trapped to form a new class of composite materials. Particles enter the films that are forming on the disks at rates depending on the size and geometry of the particle, as well as the rotational speed and concentration of the suspension.