Microwave-assisted silication of potato starch

Silication of potato starch was performed by microwave irradiation and convectional heating of starch with sodium metasilicate. The study has shown that microwaves offered more selective silication than convectional heating. Depending on the dose of metasilicate products of either monoesterification or crosslinking esterification were formed. Increase in the amount of the silicating agent favoured crosslinking of starch. In the case of microwave irradiation, the C–O–SiO₂Na moieties were formed, whereas the convectional heating generated the C–O–Si–O–Si–O–C crosslinks.