A new and novel use for nanomaterials is ready to revolutionize food preservation. The coating is made of a thin film of nanoscale bits of clay, the same kind used to make bricks, mixed with polymers, but looks transparent. When viewed under an electron microscope, the film even looks like bricks and mortar.
The nanobrick film was recently unveiled at the National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society. It is claimed to be as impervious to air as glass is.
Snack makers have long experimented with packaging materials to keep food fresh longer. Most of the packaging processes are meant to keep out oxygen. Some examples include soda bottles coated with silicon oxide and chip bags lined with foil.
The new material would be layered onto an existing plastic package, improve its strength, and block oxygen, while still letting you see inside. Another interesting use might be to help basketballs and footballs stay inflated longer than existing balls. Of course they wouldn't need to use it for packaging bacon, it never lasts that long on the shelf.