POS9-0089
Hydrophobic and Flexible Vegan Leather Derived from Bacterial Cellulose through Vegetable Oil Impregnation
Topic
S9. Polymer Technology for Sustainability
When and Where
Sep 30, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Heesuk KIM
Jinhye BAE
Presenter(s)
Jungwon Lim (Kyung Hee University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
The growing demand for animal leather and the environmental concerns associated with its production have accelerated the search for sustainable vegan leathe. Although various vegan leather products have been commercialized, many rely on blends with synthetic polymers, limiting their sustainability and introducing concerns regarding environmental impact.
In this study, a fully bio-based vegan leather was developed by impregnating bacterial cellulose (BC) with vegetable oils through a solvent exchange process, without the incorporation of petroleum based polymers. The impregnation of vegetable oils within the BC network generated a hydrophobic structure while improving the material's durability. Since the interactions between BC and vegetable oils are strongly influenced by the chemical characteristics of the oils, the effects of oil type and oxidation state on impregnation behavior and material performance were systematically investigated. Specifically, drying and non-drying oils, as well as oxidized and non-oxidized oils, were compared to identify key factors governing the fabrication of BC-based vegan leather.
The findings demonstrate the potential of bacterial cellulose as a sustainable platform for next-generation vegan leather materials. In addition, this work provides insight into effective strategies for introducing hydrophobic components into hydrophilic biopolymer networks, offering broader implications for the design of functional bio-based materials.
In this study, a fully bio-based vegan leather was developed by impregnating bacterial cellulose (BC) with vegetable oils through a solvent exchange process, without the incorporation of petroleum based polymers. The impregnation of vegetable oils within the BC network generated a hydrophobic structure while improving the material's durability. Since the interactions between BC and vegetable oils are strongly influenced by the chemical characteristics of the oils, the effects of oil type and oxidation state on impregnation behavior and material performance were systematically investigated. Specifically, drying and non-drying oils, as well as oxidized and non-oxidized oils, were compared to identify key factors governing the fabrication of BC-based vegan leather.
The findings demonstrate the potential of bacterial cellulose as a sustainable platform for next-generation vegan leather materials. In addition, this work provides insight into effective strategies for introducing hydrophobic components into hydrophilic biopolymer networks, offering broader implications for the design of functional bio-based materials.
