Biomembranes Based on Potato Starch Modified by Dry Heating Treatment: One Sustainable Strategy to Amplify the Use of Starch as a Biomaterial

The exceptional biocompatibility of polymeric membranes drives their use in biomaterials, but structural modifications are needed to improve their mechanical properties. This study investigated dry heating treatment (DHT) as an ecofriendly and cost-effective approach to modifying potato starch for biomembrane fabrication. DHT-treated starch (2 h) produced biomembranes with a denser structure, smoother surfaces, and significantly improved mechanical properties, including higher tensile strength (∼6×), rigidity (∼15×), and relative crystallinity (∼2×) while reducing flexibility (∼5×), compared to native starch membranes. These membranes also exhibited lower moisture content, reduced hydrophilicity, higher surface energy, decreased biodegradability, and enhanced bioactivity, as shown by hydroxyapatite formation in simulated body fluid. Importantly, they were nontoxic to osteoblasts, emphasizing their potential for medical applications. This study highlights DHT as a sustainable and innovative method for modifying starch to develop advanced biomaterials for medical applications.