What is Bacterial Cellulose?
The living material in question is Bacterial cellulose (BC), a bacteria-grown biofilm. While there are genetically modified versions of these bacteria to enhance production, the particular bacterial cellulose strain for this project was produced by what is most frequently referred to as SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) as a by-product of the fermented tea known as Kombucha.
The bacteria and yeast require 2-4 weeks to grow the biofilm that envelops the bamboo structure of the lamp, this occurs through a process of fermentation. This process results in the formation of the bacterial cellulose pellicle, a uniform 3D network of fibres with strong and stable mechanical and chemical properties.
