Researchers have created ultrathin noodles from white flour and formic acid, with fibers averaging 370 nanometers in thickness. This breakthrough has significant implications for materials science and potential applications in various fields.
Researchers Create Ultrathin Noodles from White Flour and Formic Acid
Background
Previous research has focused on extracting starch from plant matter, which is energy- and water-intensive. However, the new study shows that this extraction isn’t strictly necessary for creating electrospun mats from starchy nanofibers.
Methodology
To make the noodle ‘dough,’ researchers mixed flour with formic acid, a liquid that helps uncoil long starch molecules in the flour. The mixture was then warmed to give it the right consistency and subjected to electrospinning, an electric charge that pulls the mixture through a needle and onto a plate.
Results
The resulting fibers are about 370 nanometers thick, on average – or about two hundredths the thickness of a human hair. These nano-noodles could be used in biodegradable bandages, wound dressings, and other applications where their unique properties can be utilized.
Significance
This breakthrough has significant implications for materials science and potential applications in various fields. The researchers’ innovative approach to creating starchy nanofibers opens up new avenues for research and development.
Future Directions
While the fibers are currently not edible, the researchers hope that they may be used as a sustainable alternative to traditional bandages and wound dressings. Further studies will be necessary to explore their potential uses and applications.
- sciencenews.org | Starchy nanofibers shatter the record for world’s thinnest pasta
