Siberian Federal University

In this study, bacterial cellulose nanocrystals and aldehyde functionalized bacterial cellulose nanocrystals were synthesized from kombucha tea. Bacterial cellulose derived from kombucha tea is a biopolymer synthesized by a symbiotic consortium of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). The main goal of this work was the synthesis and chemical modification of cellulose nanocrystals from bacterial cellulose isolated from kombucha tea. The hydrolysis of bacterial cellulose using sulfuric acid resulted in bacterial cellulose nanocrystals. Aldehyde modified bacterial cellulose nanocrystals were synthesized using periodate oxidation in order to acquire new properties such as a non-toxic crosslinking agent with other biopolymers. The bacterial cellulose nanocrystals and dialdehyde bacterial cellulose nanocrystals were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, X‑ray diffraction, thermal analysis and particle size distribution. The synthesized bacterial cellulose nanocrystals and the dialdehyde derivative are excellent materials that could be used as potent wound dressing materials and scaffolds for tissue engineering applications