Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biopolymer produced by several microorganisms and has attracted attention due to its unique characteristics, replacing cellulose extracted from nature. This work aimed to compare different BC production methods and the possible interference of these methods on the characteristics of the BC produced, seeking low-cost and large-scale production. BC membranes were produced by K. hansenii and a microbial consortium using different culture media. Rehydration percentage, water-holding capacity, TGA, and FTIR characterized the membranes. The production from the microbial consortium was highlighted for having a higher dry mass yield (0.289 ± 0.199 g), more than triple the amount produced by pure strain. Both samples showed similar chemical structures, as pointed out by FTIR. However, the BC produced by the microbial consortium showed superior thermal stability (357 °C). Moreover, using the microbial consortium, it was possible to obtain BC with a reduction in production cost of 92%.

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) membranes have interconnected porous nanostructures and excellent biocompatibility. Functionalizing these with calcium phosphate sources and metal ions confers optimized properties to the biomaterial. This study aims to synthesize BNC membranes, functionalize them with copper and magnesium apatites, characterize and evaluate their cytotoxicity and antimicrobial potential. Membranes were synthesized for 8 days in Mannitol Medium. The biocomposite production was by immersion cycles. The biocomposites were characterized by porosity and swelling capacity, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), antimicrobial properties and cytotoxicity assays. The FTIR and SEM results showed that phosphate groups were incorporated into the BNC. The TGA analysis also indicated the incorporation of the inorganic phase. The membrane functionalization with Cu promoted the antimicrobial properties of the biomaterial. However, functionalization with Mg had a more positive behavior on cell viability, proving to be more suitable for use as an implantable material.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has stood out in the biomedical field for its biocompatibility, non-toxicity and high liquid absorption capacity. Thus, studies have been conducted aiming at the functionalization of BC with substances that add properties, such as anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial action. Hamamelis virginiana plant extract is known for its astringent, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Thus, the present work aimed to incorporate aqueous (AE) and glycolic (GE) extracts of witch hazel in different concentrations to BC, aiming at its application as a curative. BC membranes incorporated with the extracts were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and antimicrobial activity. The TGA results indicated a reduction in thermal stability and the appearance of a new stage of degradation in the samples that underwent incorporation. Furthermore, the FTIR showed the presence of aromatic compounds not found in the BC, corroborating the TGA. The micrographs revealed that the incorporation of the extracts resulted in the formation of a film on the surface of the membranes, covering the nanofibers. These results show that incorporating the aqueous and glycol extracts in the BC membrane was successful. However, despite the crude extracts’ antimicrobial potential, antimicrobial activity in the functionalized BC samples was not observed.

The present paper investigated the deposition of oxygen-functionalized graphene (GO) on copper (Cu) substrates using a low-voltage electrophoretic deposition (EPD) compared to a bipolar high-impulse electrophoretic deposition (HI-EPD) as a function of electrode distance and deposition time. The conventional deposition was conducted with a constant voltage of +10 V. Bipolar HI-EPD used 1.0 μs period pulses, alternating pulses of +600 and −600 V. The pulses train consisted of four individual pulses, two positive and two negative (2p+ and 2p−), with a 20.0 μs off-time between the pulse sets. GO films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, water contact angle, atomic force microscopy, relative sheet resistance, Raman, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and adhesion tests. For conventional EPD, the minimal deposition time necessary to obtain homogeneous GO films was 10 min with a distance between electrodes of 1.0 cm. When bipolar HI-EPD was used, a homogeneous deposition was obtained in 5.0 min. The samples with GO films had an average reduction in the contact angle by 28% in comparison to the Cu surface, showing hydrophilic behavior, and an increase in relative sheet resistance compared to Cu by 104 times for deposition through conventional EPD and up to 105 times for deposition through bipolar HI-EPD. The presence of GO increased the surface roughness. The bipolar HI-EPD showed no apparent water electrolysis even under high-voltage pulse deposition. Thus, the bipolar HI-EPD demonstrates a promising process for producing homogeneous film depositions of GO nanoparticles in an aqueous medium with lower deposition time.

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) combined with hydroxyapatite (HAp) forms biocomposites that exhibit biomimetic properties favorable for bone regeneration. Moreover, incorporating trace elements naturally present in bone, such as Mg, Cu, Zn, and Sr, has been reported to enhance osteogenic activity and support vascularization. Despite these advantages, BNC’s resistance to enzymatic degradation in vivo remains a critical limitation. To address this, BNC-based biocomposites containing cation-substituted hydroxyapatite (at varying concentrations of Mg2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, or Sr2+) were synthesized and bioactivated in simulated body fluid (SBF). These materials were characterized using scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflectance (FTIR/ATR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and in vitro cytotoxicity assays. The most promising compositions were further evaluated for osteoblast (MC3T3-E1) adhesion and enzymatic biodegradation. SEM confirmed the uniform distribution of HAp crystals across the BNC network, while TGA revealed a high residual mass (51.9–65.6%), indicating effective HAp incorporation. Cytotoxicity results showed that the BNC/ZnHAp 1% and BNC/SrHAp 1% samples maintained cellular metabolic activity at approximately 90%, indicating biocompatibility. Additionally, these biocomposites promoted superior cell proliferation compared to the nonsubstituted BNC/HAp control at all time points. Overall, the incorporation of selected cations enhanced the biological performance of BNC/HAp biocomposites, suggesting their suitability for further investigation in bone tissue repair and implantable biomedical applications.

The present study proposes the development of a potential biocomposite for bone regeneration by combining poly(lactic acid) (PLA), a biocompatible and bioabsorbable polymer, with bioactive glasses, bioceramics known for their osteoinductive properties and non‐toxicity. In this context, PLA biocomposites were prepared via melt processing using two types of bioactive glass: 45S BG and a synthesized mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG), incorporated at 5 and 10 wt%. The incorporation of MBG preserved the rheological behavior of the PLA matrix and promoted a homogeneous dispersion of spherical, radially mesoporous particles, as confirmed by SEM and TEM analyses. Thermal analyses demonstrated that the PLA/MBG composites maintained the thermal stability and characteristic transition temperatures of the polymer. Mechanical testing revealed a significant enhancement in compressive modulus with increases of 166% and 150% for PLA/BG5% and PLA/MBG5% samples compared to neat PLA. Cytotoxic analyses indicated that incorporating both BGs into PLA does not impair long‐term cell viability, but higher MBG content promotes a more favorable initial cellular response. Overall, the results demonstrate that the combination of PLA with MBG leads to a biocomposite with improved mechanical performance while preserving thermal and biological properties, highlighting its potential application in bone regeneration.