Silylation of bacterial cellulose to design membranes with intrinsic anti-bacterial properties
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Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Bacterial Cellulose Spheres that Encapsulate Solid Materials
Published on: February 26, 2021
Guillaume Chantereau1, Nettie Brown2, Marie-Anne Dourges3
1University of Bordeaux, LCPO, UMR 5629, F-33600 Pessac, France; CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Portugal.
Abstract:
In this work, we report a convenient method of grafting non-leachable bioactive amine functions onto the surface of bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibrils, via a simple silylation treatment in water. Two different silylation protocols, involving different solvents and post-treatments were envisaged and compared, using 3-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane (APS) and (2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane (AEAPS) as silylating agents. In aqueous and controlled conditions, water-leaching resistant amino functions could be successfully introduced into BC, via a simple freeze-drying process. The silylated material remained highly porous, hygroscopic and displayed sufficient thermal stability to support the sterilization treatments generally required in medical applications. The impact of the silylation treatment on the intrinsic anti-bacterial properties of BC was investigated against the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The results obtained after the in vitro studies revealed a significant growth reduction of S. aureus within the material.
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