Continuous Flow Vortex Fluidic Transformation of KombuchaCellulose into More Compact and Crystalline Fibers br

A chemical-free and scalable novel route forgenerating more compact and crystalline cellulose from cellulosicbiofilms formed at the air-water interface as an otherwise wastebyproduct from the kombucha tea beverage fermentation industryhas been developed. This involves processing the byproduct bytreatment with aqueous 1 M NaOH at 50 degrees C and then 1% glacialacetic acid followed by washing with distilled water until the pH ofthe washing water is 7, followed by continuousflow processing inthe vortexfluidic device (VFD). This thin-film microfluidicplatform houses a 20 mm outside diameter and 17.5 mm inside diameter quartz tube with a hemispherical base. The inducedhigh shear mechanical energy arising from the topologicalfluidflows within the thinfilm when the tube is tilted at theta+45 degrees and spunat omega 6k rpm converts the kombucha cellulose to smallerfiber diameters similar to 70 nmcf.similar to 127 nm preVFD processing. The material ischaracterized using dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction,thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller. Themodification of the cellulose is understood mechanistically by the high shear topologicalfluidflow from the Coriolis force from thebase of the tube, forcing the individual cellulose polymer strands together in an ordered array. Such transient localized high shearflow associated with high temperatures and pressures over thefibers on the surface of the tube force the backbone long cellulosestrands together resulting in increased crystallinity. Thefindings lay the foundation for transforming a byproduct from kombucha teabeverage fermentation into unique material for other applications