Bacterial Cellulose: A Versatile Material for Fabrication of Conducting Nanomaterials

Abstract

Nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, nanorods, nanofibers, and nanocomposites have received immense consideration and are widely used for different applications in various fields. The exploration of new synthesis routes, simple processing techniques, and specialized applications are growing to different fields and bringing extra interest to stakeholders. Bacterial cellulose (BC), a biopolymer produced by microbial and cell-free systems, is receiving growing applications in various fields, including medical, energy, environment, food, textile, and optoelectronics. As pristine BC lacks antimicrobial activity, conducting and magnetic properties, and possesses limited biocompatibility and optical transparency, its composites with other materials are developed to bless it with such features as well as improve its existing properties. Herein, we have reviewed the role of BC as a matrix to impregnate conducting nanomaterials (e.g., carbon nanotubes, graphene, and metals and metal oxides) and polymers (polyaniline, polypyrrole, and poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)–poly (styrene sulfonate)) for the development of composite materials. These BC-based composite materials find applications in the development of energy storage devices, wearable electronics, biosensors, and controlled drug delivery systems. We have also highlighted the major hurdles to the industrialization of BC-based composites and provided future projections of such conducting nanomaterials.