Bacterial cellulose as green matrix material for environmental-friendly electronic devices

The proliferation of electronic devices has led to a substantial increase in non-degradable electronic waste (e-waste), posing significant environmental challenges. Consequently, biodegradable natural polymers have garnered considerable attention as sustainable alternatives to conventional non-degradable materials in electronic applications. Bacterial cellulose (BC), a natural polymer characterized by abundant hydroxyl groups and a three-dimensional (3D) nanonetwork structure, exhibits exceptional properties including high purity, superior mechanical strength, excellent water retention capacity, non-toxicity, renewability, and complete biodegradability. These unique attributes, coupled with its distinctive structural features, render BC as a promising green matrix material for developing functional composites in eco-friendly electronic devices. This review provides a systematic analysis of various eco-friendly composite materials derived from BC, covering conductive, piezoelectric, magnetoelectric, and thermoelectric composites. Additionally, the fabrication methodologies for BC-based composites, including in-situ chemical synthesis, ex-situ incorporation, and biosynthesis techniques, are comprehensively analyzed. Furthermore, the applications of BC-based composites was explored in diverse fields such as sensors, energy storage systems (batteries and supercapacitors), and energy harvesting devices (nanogenerators). Finally, we deliver a critical evaluation of the current challenges and future research directions for BC-based composites in the development of sustainable electronic devices.