The present disclosure is directed to an oil-infused bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) material including a porous body comprising a three-dimensional network of bacterial nanocellulose fibers defining a plurality of interconnected pores; and, an oil infused within the plurality of pores. The present disclosure additionally describes a method of preparing an oil-infused BNC material that includes fermenting bacteria to form a porous body of bacterial nanocellulose fibers having a three-dimensional network defining a plurality of interconnected pores; mechanically pressing the porous body; dehydrating the porous body; and infusing the porous body with an oil infusion fluid including an oil so as to entrap the oil in the pores of the porous body forming an oil-infused BNC material.

A biopolymer fiber containing collagen. The biopolymer fiber has excellent ultimate tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and strain at break comparable to native human tendons and ligaments. The fiber may substantially circular, ovoid, square, rectangular, ribbon-like, triangular, or irregularly shaped. The fiber exhibits an ordered, longitudinally-oriented structure, and the fiber allows infiltration of cellular growth. Implantable biopolymer scaffolds and sutures containing the fibers are provided as well as microfluidic and extrusion methods for producing the biopolymer fibers.

Methods for reaction electrospinning are provided to form collagen fibers. The method can include: acidifying a collagen in an acidic solvent to form an acidic collagen solution; electrospinning the acidic collagen solution within an alkaline atmosphere (e.g., including ammonia vapor) to form collagen fibers; and collecting the collagen fibers within a salt bath (e.g., including ammonium sulfate). The acidic solvent can include water and an alcohol, and can have a pH of about 2 to about 4 (e.g., including a strong acid, such as HCl). An albumin rubber is also provided, which can include albumin crosslinked with glutaraldehyde.

Methods for reaction electrospinning are provided to form collagen fibers. The method can include: acidifying a collagen in an acidic solvent to form an acidic collagen solution; electrospinning the acidic collagen solution within an alkaline atmosphere (e.g., including ammonia vapor) to form collagen fibers; and collecting the collagen fibers within a salt bath (e.g., including ammonium sulfate). The acidic solvent can include water and an alcohol, and can have a pH of about 2 to about 4 (e.g., including a strong acid, such as HCl). An albumin rubber is also provided, which can include albumin crosslinked with glutaraldehyde.

A method of generating a collagen fiber is disclosed. Fibers generated thereby are also disclosed as well as scaffolds comprising such fibers.

A method of generating a collagen fiber is disclosed. Fibers generated thereby are also disclosed as well as scaffolds comprising such fibers.

Grafted, crosslinked cellulosic materials include cellulose fibers and polymer chains composed of at least one monoethylenically unsaturated acid group-containing monomer (such as acrylic acid) grafted thereto, in which one or more of said cellulose fibers and said polymer chains are crosslinked (such as by intra-fiber chain-to-chain crosslinks). Some of such materials are characterized by a wet bulk of about 10.0-17.0 cm.sup.3/g, an IPRP value of about 1000 to 7700 cm.sup.2/MPa.Math.sec, and/or a MAP value of about 7.0 to 38 cm H.sub.2O. Methods for producing such materials may include grafting polymer chains from a cellulosic substrate, followed by treating the grafted material with a crosslinking agent adapted to effect crosslinking of one or more of the cellulosic substrate or the polymer chains. Example crosslinking mechanisms include esterfication reactions, ionic reactions, and radical reactions, and example crosslinking agents include pentaerythritol, homopolymers of the graft species monomer, and hyperbranched polymers.

Grafted, crosslinked cellulosic materials include cellulose fibers and polymer chains composed of at least one monoethylenically unsaturated acid group-containing monomer (such as acrylic acid) grafted thereto, in which one or more of said cellulose fibers and said polymer chains are crosslinked (such as by intra-fiber chain-to-chain crosslinks). Some of such materials are characterized by a wet bulk of about 10.0-17.0 cm.sup.3/g, an IPRP value of about 1000 to 7700 cm.sup.2/MPa.Math.sec, and/or a MAP value of about 7.0 to 38 cm H.sub.2O. Methods for producing such materials may include grafting polymer chains from a cellulosic substrate, followed by treating the grafted material with a crosslinking agent adapted to effect crosslinking of one or more of the cellulosic substrate or the polymer chains. Example crosslinking mechanisms include esterfication reactions, ionic reactions, and radical reactions, and example crosslinking agents include pentaerythritol, homopolymers of the graft species monomer, and hyperbranched polymers.

The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for directed to synthetic block copolymer proteins, expression constructs for their secretion, recombinant microorganisms for their production, and synthetic fibers (including advantageously, microfibers) comprising these proteins that recapitulate many properties of natural silk. The recombinant microorganisms can be used for the commercial production of silk-like fibers.

The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for directed to synthetic block copolymer proteins, expression constructs for their secretion, recombinant microorganisms for their production, and synthetic fibers (including advantageously, microfibers) comprising these proteins that recapitulate many properties of natural silk. The recombinant microorganisms can be used for the commercial production of silk-like fibers.