Fabrication of pure starch fibers by electrospinning

Many efforts to spin starch fibers are reported in the patent and research literature. All reported spinning methods are dependent upon addition of non-starch components, e. g. other polymers, plasticizers or cross-linkers. In the present study, we demonstrate a method of producing pure starch fibers by an electrospinning technique. This method involves choosing an appropriate solvent for native high amylose starch and spinning on a modified electrospinning setup. Resulting starch fibers have diameters in the order of microns. Coagulation solvent composition can affect the crystallinity of the starch fibers. Post-spinning treatments were employed to increase the crystallinity and cross-link the starch fibers. The novel starch fibers have potential in various applications, e. g. in the food, textile, and biomedical industries. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.