Russian scientists develop model to extend food shelf life

Researchers from Kabardino-Balkarian State University (KBSU), in collaboration with Dagestan State Pedagogical University and the Russian State University of Tourism and Service, have developed a new model to calculate the gas permeability of polymers.

This model aims to improve the creation of food packaging materials and protective coatings for metal. By adding nanometer-sized solid particles to polymers to create composites, scientists create a “tortuous path” that makes it harder for gases and moisture to penetrate the material. This process helps prevent food spoilage and metal oxidation.

The research, published in the journal “Izvestiya Kabardino-Balkarskovo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta,” highlights that the degree of affinity between the filler particles and the polymer significantly impacts gas transfer. Using polycarbonate based on bisphenol A with graphite and thermally reduced graphene as fillers, the team utilized fractal analysis to describe how the complexity of the gas path relates to structural affinity.