Preparation of starch nanoparticles via high-energy ball milling

Nano-sized starch particles were prepared from potato starch via high-energy ball milling, which is a purely physical method. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and viscometer were used to analyze the morphology and characteristics of the as-prepared nanoparticles. Spherical particles with an average size of approximately 120 nm were obtained after grinding the samples for 90 min, and the particles were free from any contamination. The particle surface was rough with a plush-like feature, and the adsorption ability was six times higher than that of native starch. Thus, the nano-sized starch particles can be used as a good embedding medium in biomedical and chemical materials.