Ultra-Fine Characteristics of Starch Nanoparticles Prepared Using Native Starch With and Without Surfactant

Starch nanoparticles (St-NPs) were synthesized using native maize starch (NS). The synthesis was carried out as per the Solvent displacement method after being modified. Modification involved the use of aqueous alkaline medium as the solvent and ethanol as the organic non-solvent. This was done with a view to assure easier and more reproducible St-NPs preparation without consuming more solvent. The modified method for preparation of St-NPs was evaluated; investigation into factors affecting it were made in order to discover the optimum conditions for such preparation. Factors studied included concentration of starch as well as concentration of surface-active agent, namely, Tween(A (R)) 80, which was added before precipitation. World-class facilities was used for evaluation of the obtained St-NPs such as transmission electron microscopy, particle size analyzer, polydispersity index (PdI), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and, X-ray diffraction. The results indicate that there are no changes of the chemical structure of St-NPs as indicated by FT-IR and the crystallinity pattern is converted from A-type to amorphous (V-type). The data obtained indicate also that the smallest, highly distributed particles size with good PdI of St-NPs are obtained in the presence of 20 % Tween(A (R)) 80 (based on weight of NS).