Textile finishing for bacterial cellulose modification: organic acid-catalyzed cellulosic acetylation

Bacterial Cellulose (BC) is an originally sustainable material for the textile and leather industries. However, dehydrated BC faces challenges: excessive stiffness, low density, surface defects, high roughness, etc. That reduces appeal in applicability. To address these issues, this study introduces a textile finishing method involving cellulose acetylation catalyzed by organic acids, namely Citric Acid and Succinic Acid. The acetylation-finished BC samples, catalyzed by Citric Acid (BC/AA/CA) and Succinic Acid (BC/AA/SA), exhibit improved softness with bending modulus of 62.65 ± 5.87 and 99.82 ± 25.25 MPa, respectively, as compared to untreated BC (1956.51 ± 426.12 MPa), tensile strength of 15.10 ± 1.42 MPa for BC/AA/CA and 15.02 ± 0.74 MPa for BC/AA/SA, porosity, and significant alterations in thermal stability. The study explores a novel "self-patterning" mechanism during BC acetylation finishing. Consequently, this study addresses the limitations of BC in its dehydrated state and promises practical and valuable scientific contributions toward long-term sustainability.