+A-
Nanofibers are needed for medical purposes
The new nanonoodles are not intended for human consumption, but are developed for scientific purposes, particularly for medicine and wound healing. Developing tiny nanofibers from flour can reduce reliance on more expensive and arduous to produce plant-based nanofibers.
Starch nanofibers have excellent application prospects in various medical fields due to their elasticity, large surface area and biodegradability. They are also biocompatible and porous, making them suitable for drug delivery, wound healing and even bone regeneration.
“To cook spaghetti, a mixture of water and flour is passed through metal holes. In our study we did the same thing,but used an electrical discharge to pass through the flour mixture,” explains chemist Adam Clancy. “It’s really spaghetti, but on a much smaller scale.”
Gareth Williams, a pharmaceutical materials specialist, said starch nanofibres could be used in wound dressings due to their high porosity. According to the specialist, the possibility of using them as a basis for tissue repair is being evaluated, since they imitate the extracellular matrix, a network of proteins and other molecules that support the vital activity of cells.
The process of obtaining starch nanofibers directly from plants requires notable energy and water inputs. A team of scientists lead by chemist Beatrice Britton of University College London decided to explore an choice method: creating fibers from cheap plant materials such as flour.
To clarify, electrospinning is a process where an electric charge attracts material and pushes it through a small hole. To use this method with flour, scientists had to replace water with formic acid, which breaks down the helical structures of starch. As the material exits the hole, the acid evaporates, leaving only nanonoodles.
The resulting threads form a flexible hydrophilic mat of nanofibers. Each thread, about 2 centimeters in diameter, is too small to see visually, so the researchers used a scanning electron microscope to analyze the resulting material.
Materials created in this way could become a more convenient and environmentally amiable alternative to other plant nanofibers. Though, scientists will need to study its properties to understand the rate of decomposition, interaction with various chemicals and the possibility of increasing production.
“Unfortunately I don’t think they’re edible as they overcook less than a second after you take them out of the pan,” concludes Gareth Williams.
