Lignins and lignin-derived compounds are known to have antibacterial properties. The wound healing agents in the form of dressings produce faster skin repair and decrease pain in patients. In order to create an efficient antimicrobial agent in the form of dressing in the treatment of chronic wounds, a composite hydrogel of bacterial cellulose (BC) and dehydrogenative polymer of coniferyl alcohol (DHP), BC-DHP, was designed. Novel composite showed inhibitory or bactericidal effects against selected pathogenic bacteria, including clinically isolated ones. The highest release rate of DHP was in the first hour, while after 24 h there was still slow release of small amounts of DHP from BC-DHP during 72 h monitoring. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass-spectrometry showed that BC-DHP releases DHP oligomers, which are proposed to be antimicrobially active DHP fractions. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy micrographs proved a dose-dependent interaction of DHP with BC, which resulted in a decrease of the pore number and size in the cellulose membrane. The Fourier-transform infrared absorption spectra of the BC-DHP showed that DHP was partly bound to the BC matrix. The swelling and crystallinity degree were dose-dependent. All obtained results confirmed BC-DHP composite as a promising hydrogel for wounds healing.

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The paper presents results of the influence of mechanical activation of shungite, a carbon-mineral rock material rich in silica and carbon, on its sintering behaviour, and obtaining of pure SiC ceramics. The mechanical activation of the starting powder was performed in a high-energy ball mill in time intervals from 30 to 480 min. The phase composition of the starting powders and sintered samples was analysed by the X-ray diffraction method. The first traces of SiC were detected after sintering at 1350°C for 2 h in an Ar atmosphere, along with traces of unreacted SiO 2 . The scanning electron microscopy was performed in order to determine changes in the microstructure. Sintering was performed at various temperatures for 2 h, in an Ar atmosphere and a vacuum. Dielectric properties of the sintered samples were measured in the frequency range from 1 to 500 MHz. The obtained results indicate that the sintered powder is a good candidate for applications as an absorber of electromagnetic waves in microwave engineering.

Spider silk poses excellent mechanical properties, tenacity and elasticity and it has been used as a template for calcite mineralization to improve load bearing strength of osteoconductive calcite. The samples were obtained by mimicking biomineralization for five days in order to follow formation and growth of calcite on the surface of spider silk. Crystal phase was detected by XRD and FTIR spectroscopy. Microstructure, crystal size and its morphology were studied by means of FESEM. After two days of processing, pure calcite phase was obtained, and a size of the formed crystals increased with prolongation of biomineralization.

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