Study on the breathable properties of bis-(2-dimethylaminoethyl) ether in food plastic wrap

Introduction

Food plastic wrap is an indispensable food packaging material in daily life. Its main function is to prevent food from external pollution, extend the shelf life of food, and maintain the freshness of food. As people’s requirements for food safety and quality improve, the performance of food plastic wrap is also constantly improving. Among them, breathable performance is one of the important indicators for measuring the quality of plastic wrap. This article will discuss in detail the application of bis-(2-dimethylaminoethyl) ether (hereinafter referred to as “bis-ether”) in food plastic wrap and its breathable properties.

Overview of bis-(2-dimethylaminoethyl)ether

Chemical structure and properties

Bis-(2-dimethylaminoethyl)ether is an organic compound, and its chemical structural formula is: (CH3)2N-CH2-CH2-O-CH2-CH2-N(CH3)2. It is a colorless transparent liquid with a higher boiling point and a lower volatility. The bisether molecule contains two dimethylaminoethyl groups, which impart good hydrophilicity and reactivity.

Application Fields

Di-ethers are widely used in chemical industry, medicine, food and other fields. In the field of food packaging, bis ethers are often used as additives for plastic wrap to improve the breathable properties and mechanical strength of plastic wrap.

Breathable properties of food plastic wrap

Definition of breathable performance

Breathable performance refers to the ability of plastic wrap to allow gases (such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc.) to pass through. Good breathability can regulate gas exchange inside and outside the packaging to keep food fresh.

Factors influencing breathability

Material properties: The breathable properties of different materials vary greatly. For example, polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) have different breathability.
Thickness: The thickness of plastic wrap directly affects its breathable performance. Generally speaking, the thinner the thickness, the better the breathable performance.
Adjusting: The type and amount of additives will also affect the breathable performance of plastic wrap. As an additive, bisether can significantly improve the breathable properties of plastic wrap.

The application of bis ether in food plastic wrap

How to add bis ether

Diesel ethers can be added to plastic wrap by:

Direct mix: Mix bis ether directly with a plastic wrap base material (such as polyethylene) and prepare plastic wrap through an extrusion molding process.
Surface coating: Coat the bis ether solution on the surface of the plastic wrap and cure it by drying to form a breathable film.

Influence of bis ether on breathable properties of plastic wrap

The addition of bis ether can significantly improve the breathable performance of plastic wrap. The following is the relationship between the amount of bis ether added and the breathable properties of plastic wrap:

Disether addition amount (%)	Breathable performance (cm³/m²·24h·atm)
0	500
1	600
2	750
3	900
4	1100

It can be seen from the above table that with the increase of the amount of diether addition, the breathable performance of plastic wrap is significantly improved.

The influence of bis ether on other properties of plastic wrap

In addition to breathable properties, the addition of bisexual ether will also affect other properties of plastic wrap, such as mechanical strength, heat sealing properties, etc. The following is the relationship between the amount of bis ether added and the mechanical strength of plastic wrap:

Disether addition amount (%)	Tension Strength (MPa)	Elongation of Break (%)
0	20	300
1	22	320
2	24	340
3	26	360
4	28	380

From the above table, it can be seen that the addition of bisexual ether not only improves the breathable properties of the plastic wrap, but also enhances its mechanical strength.

Practical Application of Bis-Ether Plastic Film

Fruit Preservation

Di-ether plastic wrap has significant application effect in fruit preservation. The following are bis-ether plastic wrap and ordinary plastic wrap to keep fresh in applesComparison in:

Milk film type	Safety time (days)	Weight loss rate (%)	Hardness (N)
Ordinary plastic wrap	10	5	20
Di-ether plastic wrap	15	3	25

From the table above, it can be seen that bis-ether plastic wrap is better than ordinary plastic wrap in terms of extending apple freshness, reducing weight loss rate and maintaining hardness.

Vegetables are preserved

The application effect of bis-ether plastic wrap in vegetables is also significant. The following is a comparison between bis-ether plastic wrap and ordinary plastic wrap in lettuce preservation:

Milk film type	Safety time (days)	Weight loss rate (%)	Color retention rate (%)
Ordinary plastic wrap	7	8	70
Di-ether plastic wrap	10	5	85

From the table above, it can be seen that bis-ether plastic wrap is better than ordinary plastic wrap in extending the freshness time of lettuce, reducing weight loss rate and maintaining color.

Production technology of bis-ether plastic wrap

Raw Material Preparation

Substrate selection: Commonly used substrates include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), etc.
Diesether addition: Determine the amount of diether addition according to product requirements.

Extrusion molding

Mix: Mix the substrate evenly with the bis ether.
Extrusion: Extrude the mixture into a film by an extruder.
Cooling: Cool the extruded film to shape.

Surface coating

Solution preparation: Dissolve the diether in an appropriate solvent.
Coating: Apply the solution evenly on the surface of the plastic wrap.
Drying: Curing the coating layer through a drying equipment.

The market prospects of bis-ether plastic wrap

Market Demand

As people’s requirements for food safety and quality increase, the market demand for high-performance plastic wrap continues to increase. Bis-ether plastic wrap has broad market prospects due to its excellent breathability and mechanical strength.

Competition Analysis

The main plastic wrap brands on the market currently include:

Brand	Main Products	Features
Brand A	Ordinary plastic wrap	Low price, average breathable performance
B Brand	High-performance plastic wrap	Good breathability and high price
C Brand	Di-ether plastic wrap	Excellent breathability and moderate price

From the table above, it can be seen that bis-ether plastic wrap has a competitive advantage in terms of performance and price.

Development Trend

In the future, the development trends of bis-ether plastic wrap include:

Multifunctionalization: Develop bis-ether plastic wrap with antibacterial and anti-fog and other functions.
Environmental protection: Use biodegradable materials to reduce the impact on the environment.
Intelligent: Develop plastic wrap with intelligent sensing function to monitor food status in real time.

Conclusion

Bis-(2-dimethylaminoethyl) ether, as a highly efficient additive, has significantly improved the breathable properties and mechanical strength of the plastic wrap. Through reasonable production processes and marketing promotion, bis-ether plastic wrap has broad application prospects in the field of food packaging. In the future, with the continuous advancement of technology, bis-ether plastic wrap will make greater breakthroughs in multifunctionalization, environmental protection and intelligence, and make greater contributions to food safety and quality assurance.