Cellulose-producing biocer coatings Sol-gel immobilisation of cellulose-forming bacteria

摘要

Biocer coatings consisting of living, cellulose-forming Glucanoacetobacter xylinus bacteria immobilised within a modified silica matrix are able to metabolise glucose to extra-cellular cellulose fibres. The sol-gel technology makes it possible to fix a network of cellulose-forming bacteria and/or cellulose fibres onto various material surfaces, e.g. onto glass or textiles. Moreover, biocer-coated textiles are able to repair punched out holes with a cellulose membrane during incubation in glucose-containing medium. The closing of the hole is mediated by G. xylinus cells, released from the coated area, that migrate to the growing cellulose membrane. In this way, the plugging of the hole could be considered a new principle of self-repairing textiles.