Electrospinning of nanofibers and the functional potential of starch: a comprehensive review

Electrospinning has emerged as a powerful nanofabrication technique for producing continuous polymer nanofibers with diameters ranging from sub-micrometers to nanometers. This technique is important in several discipline areas which are able to make high-surface-area materials with tunable properties that will allow applications for biomedicine, filtration, and tissue engineering. This review explores both needle-based and needleless electrospinning methods, including their sub-techniques, advantages, limitations, and influencing process parameters. Particular attention is given to how electric field strength, solution properties, and environmental factors affect nanofiber morphology and performance. In parallel, the review delves into the physicochemical characteristics and structural dynamics of starch, a biodegradable and renewable polysaccharide with vast potential in nanotechnology and food science. The phenomena of starch gelatinization and retrogradation are examined with respect to their functional implications in fiber formation and food applications. By integrating insights from electrospinning and starch science, this study highlights the prospects for developing starch-based nanofibers, offering sustainable solutions for biomedical, packaging, and dietary applications. This paper, in contrast to the most recent reviews describing electrospinning principles or the properties of starch independently, does provide a meaningful comparison of needle-based versus needleless techniques, and evaluate the effects of starch's physicochemical transitions on nanofiber performance. This comparative analysis can identify existing gaps, and show where starch-based systems were stronger than synthetic polymers with regards to sustainability, but weaker in mechanical strength and scalability. The paper concludes with future research directions that bridge nanotechnology and biopolymer engineering.