Chemical modification of starch-based nanoparticles for Pickering emulsions: a review

Abstract

Pickering emulsions, stabilized by solid particles, have gained prominence over conventional surfactant-based emulsions due to their superior stability, reduced emulsifier requirements, biocompatibility, and safety. Among potential stabilizers, starch-based nanoparticles (SNPs) have emerged as promising natural alternatives to synthetic counterparts, owing to their unique properties including cost-effectiveness, biocompatibility, renewability, and biodegradability. Chemical modification has proven to be an effective approach for altering starch properties. This review provides a comprehensive and critical analysis of the chemical modification processes employed to produce SNPs for use as Pickering emulsion stabilizers. The discussion encompasses the fabrication of SNPs and primary chemical modifications. These modifications introduce various hydrophobic functional groups onto starch particles, thereby enhancing their wetting properties and fulfilling the requirements for effective particle stabilizers. The review emphasizes the significant impact of modified functional group types, degree of substitution, and particle fabrication methods on the wetting characteristics of the resulting particles. This critical examination of recent advancements in starch-based Pickering emulsion stabilizers provides valuable insights for future research directions and potential industrial applications in this rapidly evolving field.