The structure of spherulites of bacterial cellulose from Acetobacter xylinum

Evidence from phase and polarizing microscopy as well as scanning electron microscopy indicates that the cellulose microfibrils in the spherulites of bacterial cellulose are oriented tangentially, not radially. Also, the orientation may be limited to only a fraction of the thickness of the pellicle. It is suggested that the tangential deposition may be caused by a gradient of concentration of a weakly soluble inhibitor of cellulose formation about a center.