Sustainable plasticization of dehydrated bacterial cellulose by glycerol and electron beam irradiation

The textile industry faces growing pressure to adopt sustainable practices amidst the rise of fast fashion. Bacterial cellulose (BC), a promising bio-based material with a unique three-dimensional nanofibrous structure, presents a viable sustainable alternative. However, dehydrated BC exhibits high rigidity, limiting its wider application. This study presents a novel approach to overcome this limitation through the sustainable plasticization of BC using glycerol and electron beam irradiation (EBI). EBI, a rapid, chemical-free, and waterless technology, was employed at various absorbed doses (0, 50, 100, and 200 kGy) to induce linkage between BC and glycerol. At 200 kGy, EBI-BC/Glycerol exhibited significantly enhanced softness (bending modulus reduced 2.6-fold to 1088.8 ± 367.9 MPa), improved thermal conductivity (maximum heat flux doubled to 0.152 ± 0.015 W/cm²), and increased glycerol retention (areal density of 84.6 ± 11.5 g/m²) compared to untreated BC. Although tensile strength decreased marginally (56.9 ± 1.1 MPa) and strain percentage increased (5.7 ± 0.4%), these values remained superior to those of untreated BC. Additionally, the contact angle increased with increasing EBI dose, indicating altered surface wettability. The observed changes in thermal stability and surface properties provide valuable insights for material processing and application. This research establishes a scalable and industrially viable platform for the electron beam modification and functionalization of bacterial cellulose, enabling its widespread integration into sustainable textile and leather manufacturing.