Poly(vinyl alcohol) Hydrogel and its Bacterial Cellulose Nanocomposites

The mechanical properties range of PVA hydrogel produced by the LTTC process can be further extended by the addition of small amounts of bacterial cellulose (BC) (link to the green process page), a nanobiomaterial produce by microbes. Anisotropy of mechanical properties can also be incorporated into the PVA-BC nanocomposite material. Both tensile and compressive mechanical properties have been investigated to demonstrate potential applications ranging from artificial skin, wound dressing, and cardiovascular devices to cartilage.