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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Plant Polymer Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #283339
Title: Preparation of starch-stabilized silver nanoparticles from amylose-sodium palmitate inclusion complexes

Author
item Fanta, George
item Kenar, James - Jim
item Felker, Frederick
item Byars, Jeffrey

Submitted to: Carbohydrate Polymers
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/9/2012
Publication Date: 10/29/2012
Citation: Fanta, G.F., Kenar, J.A., Felker, F.C., Byars, J.A. 2013. Preparation of starch-stabilized silver nanoparticles from amylose-sodium palmitate inclusion complexes. Carbohydrate Polymers. 92(1):260-268.

Interpretive Summary: Silver nanoparticles are well known for their antibacterial properties. Although starch products have been frequently used as stabilizers to retard the aggregation of these particles, these starch-based products have limited water solubility and their application to solid substrates such as fabrics is often difficult. In this study, the starch-based stabilizer used was prepared by combining a hot, jet-cooked solution of corn starch with a fatty acid salt (sodium palmitate) to form a stable complex between sodium palmitate and the amylose component of starch. Sodium palmitate within the amylose complex was next converted to silver palmitate by adding silver nitrate to the solution, and the silver ions bound to the amylose complex were then reduced to nanoparticles of metallic silver. These nanoparticles were smaller than those produced when commercial soluble starch was used as the stabilizer. Water solutions produced in our process can be used in the formulation of water-based antimicrobial lotions. Moreover, the antimicrobial silver nanoparticles formed in our process can be easily precipitated onto solid substrates such as fabrics by the addition of acid.

Technical Abstract: Starch-stabilized silver nanoparticles were prepared from amylose-sodium palmitate complexes by first converting sodium palmitate to silver palmitate by reaction with silver nitrate and then reducing the silver ion to metallic silver. This process produced water solutions that could be dried and then re-dispersed in water. Addition of acid increased the viscosity of water solutions, and the silver nanoparticles precipitated from solution when excess acid was added. Smaller-sized nanoparticles were obtained in this process compared to a similar process carried out with soluble starch. Potential applications for these products are (1) use in water-based antimicrobial lotions, and (2) precipitation onto solid substrates such as fabrics to retard microbial growth.