Coral-Inspired Bacterial Cellulose/Calcium-Phosphorus Composites via Synchronous In Situ Biomineralization

Inspired by the natural synchronization of organic matrix biosynthesis and inorganic mineral deposition in coral reefs, this study introduces a novel synchronous in situ biomineralization method. This strategy aims to overcome the challenges of weak interfacial bonding and complex processing in the fabrication of bacterial cellulose/calcium-phosphorus composites (BC/Ca-P). Calcium gluconate was used as a dual-functional precursor by substituting d-glucose in culture medium to simultaneously supply a carbon source for BC biosynthesis and calcium ions (Ca²⁺) for mineralization at different substitution ratios (10% for BC-CaG₁₀ and 100% for BC-CaG₁₀₀). We achieved concurrent biosynthesis of the BC matrix and deposition of Ca-P phases, leading to a unique inorganic-organic architecture in which Ca-P nanoparticles were uniformly anchored within the BC nanofibrous network and strongly integrated by interfacial interactions. Consequently, the moderate mineralization in BC-CaG₁₀ significantly enhanced the mechanical strength through a synergistic reinforcement mechanism, reaching 12.03 MPa, representing a 115% increase compared to that of pure BC. Conversely, the high mineral content of BC-CaG₁₀₀ facilitated the formation of a bioactive hydroxyapatite (HAP) phase, providing abundant active sites. In preliminary biomedical evaluations, the fabricated composites exhibited favorable biocompatibility. Notably, BC-CaG₁₀₀ exhibited efficient hemostatic performance in a rat tail amputation model, reducing hemostasis time by 71% (to 142 s) and blood loss by 97% (to 15 mg). This study presents a facile, scalable, and green approach for preparing novel biomimetic materials with promising potential for biomedical applications, including tissue engineering and wound management.