Dual-charge bacterial cellulose as a potential 3D printable material for soft tissue engineering

The surface charge of anionic carboxymethylated bacterial cellulose (CMBC) was tailored using chitosan. to ionically bond to the carboxyl groups on the surface of the CMBC. This cationic surface functionalization significantly affected the physical properties and overall net charge of the resulting material. Both the negatively and positively charged BC were characterized, then combined and formed into composites in three separate ratios, as well as extruded by a 3D printing system. The chitosan functionalized CMBC (CMBC (+)) demonstrated light refraction capabilities, larger particle size and positive charge, in contrast to the unfunctionalized negatively charged CMBC (CMBC (−)).