The report explains that the method allows for the calculation of gas permeability in polymers—materials frequently used to manufacture food packaging and protective coatings for metals. Many of these polymers are permeable to moisture and gases, which shortens the shelf life of food and leads to product oxidation.

To address this issue, the Russian experts incorporated nanoparticles into the plastic, creating complex pathways for gas flow. The scientists also discovered that these processes are influenced by the strength of the adhesion between the particles and the material itself.

“For our study, we used bisphenol A-based polycarbonate as the matrix polymer, with graphite and thermally reduced graphene as fillers. The samples were obtained by mixing the components in a molten state,” explained Igor Dolbin, a researcher at the Center for Advanced Materials at Kabardino-Balkarian State University.

The expert added that, through fractal analysis, they uncovered a relationship between the “tortuosity factor”—a parameter indicating the complexity of gas flow through the material—and the degree of structural affinity.

According to Dolbin, if the affinity between the components decreases, the gas permeability of the resulting composite also decreases compared to the pure polymer.

The study’s authors have developed equations to predict the properties of these new materials and plan to continue their work with the goal of facilitating their rapid implementation in industrial production.

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