Preparation and characterization of starch-based particles and hydrogels from native sago starch

This project focuses on the synthesis and characterization of starch-based particles from native sago starch. Starch-based particles and hydrogel were synthesized through several methods which included the water-in-oil emulsion method using epichlorohydrin (ECH) as the cross-linker, and the regenera...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ching, Lee Fung
Format: Final Year Project Report / IMRAD
Language:English
Published: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, (UNIMAS) 2007
Subjects:
Online Access:http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/17536/
http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/17536/4/Ching%20Lee%20Fung%20ft.pdf
Description
Summary:This project focuses on the synthesis and characterization of starch-based particles from native sago starch. Starch-based particles and hydrogel were synthesized through several methods which included the water-in-oil emulsion method using epichlorohydrin (ECH) as the cross-linker, and the regeneration method without using surfactants. These synthesis approaches involved dissolving starch in various solvent systems such as NaOH, NaOHffhiourea mixture and aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Macroporous starch gel sponge was prepared by the freeze-thaw method. These starch-based particles and hydrogel were being characterized with respect to their surface morphology, particle sizes and shape using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and their chemical structures using Fourier Transformed Infra-Red Spectrometer (FTIR). Starch-based particles were observed to be of spherical or oval in shape and of much reduced granule size than native sago starch. Results of the FTIR showed that starch particles possessed very similar physical and chemical structures as their original precursor materials. As such, it was uncertain if nano-sized sago starch particles have been successfully formed through the cross-linking process. Further characterization using FESEM with higher resolution capability would be necessary for elucidating the effect of synthesis conditions on the morphological characteristics of starch particles and the microstructure of macroporous starch gel sponge.