The Development of a Bacterial Nanocellulose/Cationic Starch Hydrogel for the Production of Sustainable 3D-Printed Packaging Foils

Polymers have become an important part of everyday life, but most of the polymers currently used are petroleum-based. This poses an environmental problem, especially with respect to products that are quickly discarded. For this reason, current packaging development focuses on sustainable materials as an alternative to synthetic ones. Nanocellulose, a relatively new material derived from cellulose, has unique properties such as high strength, low density, high surface area, and good barrier properties, making it popular in various applications. Additionally, 3D printing technologies have become an important part of industrial and commercial processes, enabling the realization of innovative ideas and functionalities. The main aim of this research was to develop a hydrogel of bacterial nanocellulose with suitable rheological properties for the 3D printing of polymer foils. Three variations of bacterial nanocellulose hydrogel differing in ratios of bacterial nanocellulose to cationic starch were produced. The rheological studies confirmed the suitability of the hydrogels for 3D printing. Foils were successfully 3D-printed using a modified 3D printer. The physical-mechanical, surface, and optical properties of the foils were determined. All foils were homogeneous with adequate mechanical properties. The 3D-printed foils with the highest amount of cationic starch were the most homogeneous and transparent and, despite their rigidity, very strong. All foils were semi-transparent, had a non-glossy surface, and retained poor water wettability.

Developing natural polymers for skin wound healing

Natural polymers are complex organic molecules that occur in the natural environment and have not been subjected to artificial synthesis. They are frequently encountered in various creatures, including mammals, plants, and microbes. The aforementioned polymers are commonly derived from renewable sources, possess a notable level of compatibility with living organisms, and have a limited adverse effect on the environment. As a result, they hold considerable significance in the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly goods. In recent times, there has been notable advancement in the investigation of the potential uses of natural polymers in the field of biomedicine, specifically in relation to natural biomaterials that exhibit antibacterial and antioxidant characteristics. This review provides a comprehensive overview of prevalent natural polymers utilized in the biomedical domain throughout the preceding two decades. In this paper, we present a comprehensive examination of the components and typical methods for the preparation of biomaterials based on natural polymers. Furthermore, we summarize the application of natural polymer materials in each stage of skin wound repair. Finally, we present key findings and insights into the limitations of current natural polymers and elucidate the prospects for their future development in this field.

Recent advances of antibacterial starch-based materials

Starch has attracted a lot of attention because it is biodegradable, renewable, nontoxic and low cost. By adding antibacterial substances to starch, starch-based materials have antibacterial properties. The composite with other materials can improve the comprehensive performance of starch-based materials, thus broadening the application field of the material. In this paper, we focus on antibacterial starch-based materials and review their preparation and applications. It was found that antibacterial starch-based materials were most widely used in packaging, followed by medicine, and the research on smart starch-based materials was relatively less. This review may provide some reference value for subsequent studies of starch-based materials.

The Use of Mycelial Fungi to Test the Fungal Resistance of Polymeric Materials

There are two main themes in the research on the biodegradation of industrial materials by mycelial fungi. The challenge of reducing environmental pollution necessitates the creation of biodegradable polymers that allow microorganisms, including mycelial fungi, to degrade them to low-molecule soluble substances. Additionally, to minimize the biodegradation of industrial materials while they are operating in the environment, there is a need to produce fungi-resistant polymer compositions. The fungal resistance of industrial materials and products can be assessed using a specific set of mycelial fungi cultures. Test cultures selected for this purpose are supported in the All-Russian Collection of Microorganisms (VKM). This review addresses the principle of culture selection to assess the fungal resistance of industrial materials and evaluates the results of the tests using these cultures.

Polysaccharides for Biodegradable Packaging Materials: Past, Present, and Future (Brief Review)

The ecological problems emerging due to accumulation of non-biodegradable plastics are becoming more and more urgent. This problem can be solved by the development of biodegradable materials which will replace the non-biodegradable ones. Among numerous approaches in this field, there is one proposing the use of polysaccharide-based materials. These polymers are biodegradable, non-toxic, and obtained from renewable resources. This review opens discussion about the application of polysaccharides for the creation of biodegradable packaging materials. There are numerous investigations developing new formulations using cross-linking of polymers, mixing with inorganic (metals, metal oxides, clays) and organic (dyes, essential oils, extracts) compounds. The main emphasis in the present work is made on development of the polymer blends consisting of cellulose, starch, chitin, chitosan, pectin, alginate, carrageenan with some synthetic polymers, polymers of natural origin, and essential oils.

Mechanochemical Transformations of Polysaccharides: A Systematic Review

Taking into consideration the items of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), this study reviews application of mechanochemical approaches to the modification of polysaccharides. The ability to avoid toxic solvents, initiators, or catalysts during processes is an important characteristic of the considered approach and is in line with current trends in the world. The mechanisms of chemical transformations in solid reactive systems during mechanical activation, the structure and physicochemical properties of the obtained products, their ability to dissolve and swell in different media, to form films and fibers, to self-organize in solution and stabilize nanodispersed inorganic particles and biologically active substances are considered using a number of polysaccharides and their derivatives as examples.