Scientists Develop World’s Thinnest Nanofiber Using White Flour

The ultra-thin 'nanospaghetti,' 200 times thinner than a human hair, offers sustainable solutions for medical and industrial applications.

A research team at University College London has created nanofibers just 372 nanometers in diameter using ordinary white flour and an electrospinning technique.
The process replaces traditional starch purification methods, offering a more sustainable approach that uses fewer resources like energy and water.
These nanofibers show promise in medical applications such as wound dressings, where their porosity can block bacteria while allowing moisture to pass, and as scaffolds for tissue regeneration.
The fibers are biodegradable and made from starch, the second-largest source of biomass on Earth, making them environmentally friendly and renewable.
The study highlights the challenges of working with flour due to its protein and cellulose content but demonstrates the potential for scaling up the process for broader use.