Patent US2344649A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0186495A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0186495A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Production of microbial cellulose
Assignee: The University of Texas System
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Filing: 1985-12-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-12-23
Abstract
Abstract The present invention comprises a process for microbial cellulose production. Both a liquid culture comprising a cellulose-producing microorganism and a structure having a first side and a second side and comprising material permeable to gases are provided. The first side of the structure is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas. The second side of the structure is contacted with the liquid culture so that microbial cellulose is produced upon the second side. The supply of oxygen to cellulose-producing microorganisms through gas permeable material and the resultant deposition of cellulose upon said material permits the productions of shaped objects or a continuous cellulose production The addition of agents altering the configuration of microbial cellulose may be used to alter the microbial cellulose products.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric M. Roberts
- 👤 Linda K. Hardison
- 👤 R. Malcolm Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 13:14
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B1/00; G02B1/04; G02B1/041; G02B1/043; C; C09; C09K; C09K19/00; C09K19/04; C12; C12P; C12P19/00; C12P19/04; D; D04; D04H; D04H1/00; D04H1/40; D04H1/42; D04H1/425; D04H1/4258
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A process for producing microbial cellulose characterized in that: providing a liquid culture comprising a cellulose-producing microorganism; providing a structure comprising material permeable to gases, said structure having a first side and a second side; and contacting the first side with an oxygen-containing gas and the second side with the liquid culture so that microbial cellulose is produced upon the second side.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
62 words
A process for producing microbial cellulose characterized in that: providing a liquid culture comprising a cellulose-producing microorganism; providing a structure comprising material permeable to gases, said structure having a first side and a second side; and contacting the first side with an oxygen-containing gas and the second side with the liquid culture so that microbial cellulose is produced upon the second side.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 1 defined further characterized ' in that the structure is shaped mold, the culture is contained within the shaped mold and the microbial cellulose is produced as a shaped object.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 1 defined further characterized in that the structure is a shaped cast having oxygen-containing gas therein and is immersed in the culture and the microbial cellulose is produced as a coating on the cast.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 1 defined further characterized in that the process is a continuous process, the liquid culture comprises bacterial nutrient and is continually supplemented with fresh nutrient and the microbial cellulose is continually harvested.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 4 defined further characterized in that the oxygen-containing gas is freshly circulated in contact with the first side.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the liquid culture is defined further as comprising a suitable nutrient medium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 6 characterized in that the suitable nutrient medium is defined further as being Schramm-Hestrin Medium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 6 characterized in that the suitable nutrient medium is defined further as comprising about 8 volume percent vinegar, 5 volume percent ethanol and 4 weight percent malt extract.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 6 characterized in that the suitable nutrient medium is defined further as having a pH between about 3.5 and about 5.5.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 6 characterized in that the suitable nutrient medium is defined further as comprising a hexose, acetic acid and yeast extract.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 10 characterized in that the hexose is defined further as comprising glucose.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 6 characterized in that the suitable nutrient medium is defined further as comprising corn steep liquor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the material is defined further as comprising polyvinylchloride.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the material is defined further as comprising cellulose.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the material is defined further as comprising a cellulose derivative.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 15 characterized in that the cellulose derivative is defined further as being cellulose acetate or cellulose nitrate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the material is defined further as comprising polyethylene.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the material is defined further as comprising silicone rubber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the material is defined further as comprising silicone rubber and silica particles.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the material is defined further as comprising silicone- polycarbonate copolymers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the material is defined further as comprising polyalkylsulphone.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the material is defined further as comprising a microporous membrane.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the microporous membrane is defined further as comprising silicone.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the microporous membrane is defined further as comprising polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the microorganism is defined further as being of the genus Acetobacter.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the microorganism is defined further as being Acetobacter xylinum.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the microorganism is defined further as being Acetobacter xylinum strain no. 23769 from the American Type Culture Collection.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 2 characterized in that the shaped object is defined further as being a contact lens.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 2 defined further to include the step of impregnating the shaped object with proteins, peptides, amino acids, vitamins, other nutrients or flavoring agents individually or in combination.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 29 characterized in that the shaped object is defined further as being an artificial food or nutritional supplement.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the microbial cellulose is defined further as being a nonwoven cellulosic textile precursor.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 2 defined further characterized in that the culture containing shaped mold is exposed to an aerobic environment and the aerobic environment is humid.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the contacting step is defined further as being at a temperature between about 20°C and about 30°C.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 1 characterized in that the contacting step is defined further as being for a period of between about 1 day and about 21 days.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 defined further the liquid culture comprises at least one of: a fluorescent brightening agent, a direct cellulose dye or a cellulose derivative.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1 defined further to include: collecting the microbial cellulose.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 35 characterized in that the additional step is added of: derivatizing the microbial cellulose to form a cellulose derivative.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process of claim 36 characterized in that the cellulose derivative is defined further as being an ammoniated cellulose, a cellulose ester of a carboxylic acid, a cellulose sulfate, a cellulose nitrate, a cellulose hydroxyalkyl ether or a cellulose urethane.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 36 characterized in that the cellulose derivative is defined further as being a woven or non-woven cellulosic textile.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 36 characterized in that the cellulose derivative is defined further as being utilized as liquid crystals.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process for producing cellulose characterized in that: providing cellulose producing microorganisms; and culturing said microorganisms near a material permeable to gases and having an oxygen-containing gas permeate said material to supply the microorganisms with oxygen and thus facilitate microbial deposition of cellulose.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process for producing cellulose characterized in that: providing cellulose producing microorganisms; and culturing said microorganisms near a material permeable to gases and having an oxygen-containing gas permeate said material to supply the microorganisms with oxygen and thus facilitate microbial deposition of cellulose.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4378431A
Cited
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