Insights into the contributions of hemicelluloses to assembly and mechanical properties of cellulose networks

In order to explore the contributions of hemicelluloses to the assembly and mechanical properties of cellulose networks, the bacterial cellulose (BC) composites containing xylan and glucomannan were prepared to mimic the polysaccharides network of plant cell walls. Both polysaccharides could induce the change of diameters of cellulose ribbons and influence the crystallization of cellulose. Besides, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) demonstrated that xylan inhibited the assembly of microfibrils into cellulose ribbons, while glucomannan promoted the packing of microfibrils. The changes of cellulose crystalline structure and assembly pattern of cellulose contributed to the lower tensile strength and higher strain at break of the BC composites as compared with the BC. The results provide a profound insight into the structure-property relationships of cellulose networks affected by hemicelluloses, which could be conducive to the development of cellulose biomaterials.