Microstructural analysis of microfibrils of bacterial cellulose

This paper reviews mainly our recent investigations of two allomorphs of native cellulose, celluloses I-alpha and I-beta, carried out based on the composite crystal model by high resolution solid state C-13 NMR and electron microscopy. First the distribution of the two allomorphs in nature is described together with some deviations from the simple composite crystal model. Secondly, the influences of polymer additives on the crystallization of the two allomorphs are described in the bacterial system somewhat in detail. On the basis of these results, the mechanism of the crystallization of the two allomorphs is finally discussed also in the bacterial cellulose system.