1 st Mae Fah Luang University International Conference 2012 1 EFFECT OF CARBON AND NITROGEN SOURCES ON BACTERIAL CELLULOSE PRODUCTION FOR BIONANOCOMPOSITE MATERIALS Natthawut Yodsuwan 1 , Amorn Owatworakit 1 , Atitaya Ngaokla 2 , Nattaya Tawichai 1 , and Nattakan Soykeabkaew 1,* 1 School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand 2 Scientific and Technological Instruments Center (STIC), Mae Fah Luang University,Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand *e-mail n.soykeabkaew@sci.mfu.ac.th Abstract Bacterial cellulose is one of biopolymers that are an interesting alternative material to use for reinforcement in bio-based composites as green products. Here we reported the production of bacterial cellulose using Acetobacter xylinum strain TISTR 975. The results revealed that carbon source and nitrogen source could affect both the bacterial cellulose yield and its physical property. The use of fructose and mannitol as carbon source gave a higher amount of cellulose yield (3.5 and 5.0 fold, respectively) when compared to sucrose. In addition, the use of yeast extract as nitrogen source in various ratios also enhanced cellulose production. Next, structure and properties of the bacterial cellulose will be further investigated. Keywords: bacterial cellulose production, Acetobacter xylinum strain TISTR 975, carbon source, nitrogen source Introduction The use of nano-scale fillers as reinforcement in biobased composites is another technology that has been extensively investigated. With their nanometric size effect and extremely high specific-surface area, nano-fillers have the potential for significant reinforcement in composite materials at very small filler loadings and providing some unique outstanding properties as compare to their conventional microcomposite counterparts (e.g. natural fibre reinforced composites). Studies incorporated clay, chitin or cellulose whisker as reinforcement into biodegradable polymers, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), polyhydroxy butyrate (PHB), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), starch and aliphatic polyesters to create bionanocomposites have been reported (Garcia de Rodriguez et al. 2006; Jung et al. 2007; Lu et al. 2006; Oksman et al. 2006; Roohani et al. 2008;). Lately, bacterial cellulose, which presents a unique network structure of a random assembly of ribbon shaped nanofibres, has also drawn scientific attention as reinforcement for polymers. Bacterial cellulose has recently been incorporated in hydroxyapatite (HAp), polylactic acid (PLA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) and also as a hybrid material in apple and radish pulp (Gea et al. 2007; Millon and Wan 2006; Wan et al. 2007). An example of the high strength and high transparency composites of bacterial cellulose sheets reinforced phenolic resin attaining an impressive Young’s modulus of 28 GPa has as well been reported (Nakagaito et al. 2005).