Background:
Bacterial cellulose (BC) is purest form of cellulose as it is free from pactin, lignin, hemicellulose
and other active constituents associated with cellulose derived from plant sources. High biocompatibility and easy
molding into desired shape make BC an ideal candidate for applications in biomedical field such as tissue engineering,
wound healing and bone regeneration. In addition to this, BC has been widely studied for applications in the delivery of
proteins and drugs in various forms via different routes. However, BC lacks therapeutic properties and resistance to free
movement of small molecules i.e., gases and solvents. Therefore, modification of BC is required to meet the research ad
market demand.
Methods:
We have searched the updated data relevant to as-synthesized and modified BC, properties and applications in
various fields using Web of science, Science direct, Google and PubMed.
Results:
As-synthesized BC possesses properties such as high crystallinity, well organized fibrous network, higher degree
of polymerization, and ability of being produced in swollen form. The large surface area with abundance of free accessible
hydroxyl groups makes BC an ideal candidate for carrying out surface functionalization to enhance its features. The
various reported surface modification techniques including, but not limited to, are amination, methylation and acetylation.
Conclusion:
In this review, we have highlighted various approaches made for BC surface modification. We have also
reported enhancement in the properties of modified BC and potential applications in different fields ranging from
biomedical science to drug delivery and paper-making to various electronic devices.
