Spontaneous Current Study in Wheat Starch Nano Powder

Spontaneous current study has been carried out in 70 nm particle size of wheat starch nano powder. The starch nano powder was prepared by mechanical grinding method. The spontaneous current was found to be induced and flowing in external circuit under short circuit condition by heating a sandwitched system. Sandwitched system consist of a starch nano powder (i.e. powder in different weight ratio of distilled water) between similar (Al-Al) and dissimilar (Al-Zn, Al-Cu, Al-Ag) electrode combination. The Spontaneous current spectra show two peaks lies in 46 ± 4°C and 72 ± 4°C, respectively, in the first heating run. However, only single peak was observed in second heating run. In the dissimilar electrode combination the first peak shifts to lower temperature side, while second peak shifts to higher temperature side. Spontaneous current mechanism could be explained on the basis transitional changes of starch nano powder caused by influence of water. The temperature dependent open circuit voltage $V_{oc}$ was recorded. A linear relationship was observed between dissimilar electrodes system due to difference in electrode work functions. It has been observed that spontaneous current is influenced by water and depends on the choice of electrode material.