Application of bacterial cellulose in the textile and shoe industry: development of biocomposites

Several studies report the potential of bacterial cellulose (BC) in the fashion and leather industries. This work aimed at the development of BC-based composites containing emulsified acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) that are polymerized with the redox initiator system hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and L-ascorbic acid and ferrous sulfate as a catalyst. BC was fermented under static culture. The polymerization of the emulsified organic droplets was tested before and after their incorporation into BC by exhaustion. The composites were then finished with an antimicrobial agent (benzalkonium chloride) and dyed. The obtained composites were characterized in terms of wettability, water vapor permeability (WVP), mechanical, thermal and antimicrobial properties. When AESO emulsion was polymerized prior to the exhaustion process, the obtained composites showed higher WVP, tensile strength and thermal stability. Meanwhile, post-exhaustion polymerized AESO conferred the composite higher hydrophobicity and elongation. The composites finished with the antimicrobial agent showed activity against S. aureus. Finally, intense colors were obtained more uniformly when they were incorporated simultaneously with the emulsified AESO with all the dyes tested.FEDER funds through the Operational Competitiveness Program—COMPETE and by National Funds through Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) under the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136 and UID/CTM/00264/2019 and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit.