Nano-Starches: Evaluation of Technology Diffusion Through Patent Analysis and Modeling

Nano-starches are non-toxic materials with unique properties, such as high biocompatibility and improved diffusion capacity. This study aimed to assess the technological innovation of nano-starches through patent mapping, evaluating general information, trends, and the stage of the technology diffusion life cycle. The Espacenet® database was used for the analysis, and the search was conducted by combining the keywords “Nano” and “Starch” with the codes A23, B82, C08B30, C08B31, C08B33, C08B35, C08J2403, and C08L3. A total of 248 patents were analyzed. China emerged as the top applicant country. Corn and potato were the most mapped conventional starch sources, while sweet potato and mung bean were the main non-conventional sources. The prominent technological sectors were food, medicine, polymers, and cosmetics, with primary applications in compound delivery systems and filler materials. By fitting the data to the DoseResp model and analyzing the S-curve of the technology diffusion life cycle, we found that the nano-starch field is in the early maturity stage, indicating ongoing research and technological development. Increased investments in the nanomaterial and starch markets are expected in the coming years, with an apparent trend toward using non-thermal technologies in nano-starch production and a growing interest in chemical modification approaches for nanostructures.