Aluminiumfoil

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Aluminiumfoil(oraluminumfoil),oftenreferredtowiththe
misnomertinfoil,isaluminiumpreparedinthinmetalleaveswitha
thicknesslessthan0.2mm(7.9mils)thinnergaugesdownto6
micrometres(0.24mils)arealsocommonlyused.[1]IntheUnited
States,foilsarecommonlygaugedinthousandthsofaninchormils.
Standardhouseholdfoilistypically0.016mm(0.63mils)thick,and
heavydutyhouseholdfoilistypically0.024mm(0.94mils).Thefoilis
pliable,andcanbereadilybentorwrappedaroundobjects.Thinfoils
arefragileandaresometimeslaminatedtoothermaterialssuchas
plasticsorpapertomakethemmoreuseful.Aluminiumfoilsupplanted
tinfoilinthemid20thcentury.
Annualproductionofaluminiumfoilwasapproximately800,000
tonnes(880,000tons)inEurope[1]and600,000tonnes(660,000tons)
intheU.S.in2003.[2]Approximately75%ofaluminiumfoilisusedfor
packagingoffoods,cosmetics,andchemicalproducts,and25%used
forindustrialapplications(e.g.thermalinsulation,cablesand
electronics).[2]

Asheetofaluminiumfoil

InNorthAmerica,aluminiumfoilisknownasaluminumfoil.ItwaspopularizedbyReynoldsMetals,the
leadingmanufacturerinNorthAmerica.IntheUnitedKingdomandUnitedStatesitis,informally,widely
calledtinfoil,forhistoricalreasons(similartohowaluminiumcansareoftenstillcalled"tincans").
Metallisedfilmsaresometimesmistakenforaluminiumfoil,butareactuallypolymerfilmscoatedwitha
thinlayerofaluminium.InAustralia,aluminiumfoiliswidelycalledalfoil.

History
Beforealuminiumfoil
Foilmadefromathinleafoftinwascommerciallyavailablebeforeitsaluminiumcounterpart.Tinfoilwas
marketedcommerciallyfromthelatenineteenthintotheearlytwentiethcentury.Theterm"tinfoil"
survivesintheEnglishlanguageasatermfortheneweraluminiumfoil.Tinfoilislessmalleablethan
aluminiumfoilandtendstogiveaslighttintastetofoodwrappedinit.Tinfoilhasbeensupplantedby
aluminiumandothermaterialsforwrappingfood.[3]
Thefirstaudiorecordingsonphonographcylindersweremadeontinfoil.[4]

Thefirstaluminiumfoil
Tinwasfirstreplacedbyaluminiumin1910,whenthefirstaluminiumfoilrollingplant,"Dr.Lauber,Neher
&Cie."[5]wasopenedinEmmishofen,Switzerland.Theplant,ownedbyJ.G.Neher&Sons,the
aluminiummanufacturers,startedin1886inSchaffhausen,Switzerland,atthefootoftheRhineFalls,

capturingthefalls'energytoproducealuminium.Neher'ssons,togetherwithDr.Lauber,discoveredthe
endlessrollingprocessandtheuseofaluminiumfoilasaprotectivebarrierinDecember1907.
In1911,BernbasedToblerbeganwrappingitschocolatebarsinaluminiumfoil,includingtheunique
triangularchocolatebar,Toblerone.[6]By1912,aluminiumfoilwasbeingusedbyMaggi(todayaNestl
brand)topacksoupsandstockcubes.
ThefirstuseoffoilintheUnitedStateswasin1913forwrappingLifeSavers,candybars,andgum.[7]
Processesevolvedovertimetoincludetheuseofprint,colour,lacquer,laminateandtheembossingofthe
aluminium.

Manufacture
Aluminiumfoilisproducedbyrollingsheetingotscastfrom
moltenbilletaluminium,thenrerollingonsheetandfoil
rollingmillstothedesiredthickness,orbycontinuouslycasting
andcoldrolling.Tomaintainaconstantthicknessinaluminium
foilproduction,betaradiationispassedthroughthefoiltoa
sensorontheotherside.Iftheintensitybecomestoohigh,then
therollersadjust,increasingthethickness.Iftheintensities
becometoolowandthefoilhasbecometoothick,therollers
applymorepressure,causingthefoiltobemadethinner.
Thecontinuouscastingmethodismuchlessenergyintensive
andhasbecomethepreferredprocess.[8]Forthicknessesbelow
Arollofaluminiumfoil,withmicrometer
0.025mm(1mil),twolayersareusuallyputtogetherforthe
showingathicknessof13m(0.5mils)
finalpassandafterwardsseparatedwhichproducesfoilwith
onebrightsideandonematteside.[9]Thetwosidesincontact
witheachotherarematteandtheexteriorsidesbecomebright,thisisdonetoreducetearing,increase
productionrates,controlthickness,andgetaroundtheneedforasmallerdiameterroller.[9]
Somelubricationisneededduringtherollingstagesotherwise,thefoilsurfacecanbecomemarkedwitha
herringbonepattern.Theselubricantsaresprayedonthefoilsurfacebeforepassingthroughthemillrolls.
Kerosenebasedlubricantsarecommonlyused,althoughoilsapprovedforfoodcontactmustbeusedfor
foilintendedforfoodpackaging.
Aluminiumbecomesworkhardenedduringthecoldrollingprocessandisannealedformostpurposes.The
rollsoffoilareheateduntilthedegreeofsoftnessisreached,whichmaybeupto340C(644F)for12
hours.Duringthisheating,thelubricatingoilsareburnedoff,leavingadrysurface.Lubricantoilsmaynot
becompletelyburntoffforhardtemperrolls,whichcanmakesubsequentcoatingorprintingmoredifficult.
Therollsofaluminiumfoilarethenslitonslitterrewindingmachinesintosmallerrolls.Rollslittingand
rewindingisanessentialpartofthefinishingprocess.

Properties

Aluminiumfoilsthickerthan25m(1mil)areimpermeableto
oxygenandwater.Foilsthinnerthanthisbecomeslightly
permeableduetominutepinholescausedbytheproduction
process.
Aluminiumfoilhasashinysideandamatteside.Theshiny
sideisproducedwhenthealuminiumisrolledduringthefinal
pass.Itisdifficulttoproducerollerswithagapfineenoughto
copewiththefoilgauge,therefore,forthefinalpass,twosheets
arerolledatthesametime,doublingthethicknessofthegauge
atentrytotherollers.Whenthesheetsarelaterseparated,the
Microscopiccloseupofaluminiumfoilon
insidesurfaceisdull,andtheoutsidesurfaceisshiny.This
thebackofanintumescentrubberstrip.
differenceinthefinishhasledtotheperceptionthatfavouring
asidehasaneffectwhencooking.Whilemanybelievethatthe
differentpropertieskeepheatoutwhenwrappedwiththeshinyfinishfacingout,andkeepheatinwiththe
shinyfinishfacinginwards,theactualdifferenceisimperceptiblewithoutinstrumentation.Foilmayhavea
nonstickcoatingononlyoneside.[10]Thereflectivityofbrightaluminiumfoilis88%whiledullembossed
foilisabout80%.[7]

Uses
Packaging
Aluminiumfoilactsasatotalbarriertolightandoxygen
(whichcausefatstooxidiseorbecomerancid),odoursand
flavours,moistness,andgerms,andsoitisusedbroadlyinfood
andpharmaceuticalpackaging.Thepurposeofaluminiumisto
makelonglifepacks(asepticpackaging)fordrinksanddairy
goods,whichallowsstoringwithoutrefrigeration.Aluminium
foilcontainersandtraysareusedtobakepiesandtopack
takeawaymeals,readysnacksandlonglifepetfoods.
Aluminiumfoiliswidelysoldintotheconsumermarket,often
Chocolatesinaluminiumfoilpackaging
inrollsof500mm(20in)widthandseveralmetresin
length.[11]Itisusedforwrappingfoodinordertopreserveit,
forexample,whenstoringleftoverfoodinarefrigerator(whereitservestheadditionalpurposeof
preventingodourexchange),whentakingsandwichesonajourney,orwhensellingsomekindsoftake
awayorfastfood.TexMexrestaurantsintheUnitedStates,forexample,typicallyprovidetakeaway
burritoswrappedinaluminiumfoil.

Insulation
Aluminiumfoiliswidelyusedforthermalinsulation(barrierandreflectivity),heatexchangers(heat
conduction)andcableliners(barrierandelectricalconductivity).Aluminiumfoil'sheatconductivequalities
makeitacommonaccessoryinhookahsmoking:asheetofperforatedaluminiumfoilisfrequentlyplaced
betweenthecoalandthetobacco,allowingthetobaccotobeheatedwithoutcomingintodirectcontactwith
theburningcoal.

Electromagneticshielding
Theshieldingeffectivenessofaluminiumfoildependsuponthetypeofincidentfield(electric,magnetic,or
planewave),thethicknessofthefoil,andthefrequency(whichdeterminestheskindepth).Shielding
effectivenessisusuallybrokendownintoareflectionloss(theenergybouncesofftheshieldratherthan
penetratesit)andanabsorptionloss(theenergyisdissipatedwithintheshield).
Althoughaluminiumisnonmagnetic,itisagoodconductor,soevenathinsheetreflectsalmostallofan
incidentelectricwave.Atfrequenciesmorethan100MHz,theelectricfieldisattenuatedbymorethan80
decibels(dB)(lessthan108=0.00000001ofthepowergetsthrough).[12]
Thinsheetsofaluminiumarenotveryeffectiveatattenuatinglowfrequencymagneticfields.Theshielding
effectivenessisdependentupontheskindepth.Afieldtravelingthroughoneskindepthwillloseabout63
percentofitsenergy(itisattenuatedto1/e=1/2.718...ofitsoriginalenergy).Thinshieldsalsohave
internalreflectionsthatreducetheshieldingeffectiveness.[13]Foreffectiveshieldingfromamagneticfield,
theshieldshouldbeseveralskindepthsthick.Aluminiumfoilisabout1mil(25m)athicknessof10
mils(250m)(tentimesthicker)offerslessthan1dBofshieldingat1kHz,about8dBat10kHz,and
about25dBat100kHz.

Cooking
Aluminiumfoilisalsousedforbarbecuingmoredelicatefoods,suchasmushroomsandvegetables.Using
thismethod,sometimescalledahobopack,foodiswrappedinfoil,thenplacedonthegrill,preventing
lossofmoisturethatmayresultinalessappealingtexture.
Asisthecasewithallmetallicitems,aluminiumfoilreactstobeingplacedinamicrowaveoven.Thisis
becauseoftheelectromagneticfieldsofthemicrowavesinducingelectriccurrentsinthefoilandhigh
potentialsatthesharppointsofthefoilsheetifthepotentialissufficientlyhigh,itwillcauseelectricarcing
toareaswithlowerpotential,eventotheairsurroundingthesheet.Modernmicrowaveovenshavebeen
designedtopreventdamagetothecavitymagnetrontubefrommicrowaveenergyreflection,and
aluminiumpackagesdesignedformicrowaveheatingareavailable.[14]

Artanddecoration
Heavierfoilsmadeofaluminiumareusedforart,decoration,andcrafts,especiallyinbrightmetallic
colours.Metallicaluminium,normallysilveryincolour,canbemadetotakeonothercoloursthrough
anodization.Anodizingcreatesanoxidelayeronthealuminiumsurfacethatcanacceptcoloureddyesor
metallicsalts,dependingontheprocessused.Inthisway,aluminiumisusedtocreateaninexpensivegold
foilthatactuallycontainsnogold,andmanyotherbrightmetalliccolours.Thesefoilsaresometimesused
indistinctivepackaging.

Geochemicalsampling
Foilisusedbyorganic/petroleumgeochemistsforprotectingrocksamplestakenfromthefieldsandinthe
labswherethesampleissubjecttobiomarkeranalysis.Whileplasticorclothbagsarenormallyusedfora
geologicalsamplingexercise,clothbagsarepermeableandmayalloworganicsolventsoroils(suchasoils
impartedfromtheskin)totaintthesample,andtracesoftheplasticsfromplasticbagsmayalsotaintthe

sample.Foilprovidesasealtotheingressoforganicsolventsanddoesnottaintthesample.Foilisalso
usedextensivelyingeochemicallaboratoriestoprovideabarrierforthegeochemist,andforsample
storage.

Ribbonmicrophones
Thematerialusedinmanyribbonmicrophonesisaluminiumleaf,or"imitationsilverleaf",asitis
sometimescalled.Thisispurealuminiumandisaround0.6to2.0micrometresthick.Itisvirtuallythe
samematerialthattheBBCusedonColesribbons,withtheexceptionthattheyalsohandbeattheleafeven
thinner.Theydidthisbysandwichingtheribbonbetweentoiletpaperandbeatingwithaballpeenhammer.
This"coldforges"theleaf.Thealuminiumleafwasthenannealedforanhourinanoventorestore
flexibility.Corrugationsmustalsobeimpartedintotheribbon:Colesused25perinch(1mmcycle).RCA
44BXhas19corrugationsperinch(0.7mmcycle)andisaround50mm(2.0in)longRCA77has13
corrugationsperinch(0.5mmcycle).RCAribbonmaterialisaround1to1.5micrometers(0.00005inch)
thick.ThenewNadyribbonplusAEAbothstatethattheyuse2micrometrealuminiumribbonintheir
microphones.

Environmentalissues
Somealuminiumfoilproductscanberecycledataround5%oftheoriginalenergycost,[15]althoughmany
aluminiumlaminatesarenotrecycledduetodifficultiesinseparatingthecomponentsandlowyieldof
aluminiummetal.

Seealso
Tinfoilhat
Misnomer#Examples

References
1.EuropeanAluminiumFoilAssociation(http://www.alufoil.org/eng/alufoil_343.html)
2.AluminumAssociation(USA)
(http://www.aluminum.org/Content/ContentGroups/Tech_Q_and_A/New_Aluminum_Foil_Manual_Covers_It_All
.htm)
3.Berger,KennethR.(December2002)."ABriefHistoryofPackaging".UniversityofFlorida.Retrieved
24September2014.
4.CylinderPreservationandDigitizationProject,UCSB."TinfoilRecordings"(webpage).CylinderRecordings:A
Primer.UniversityofCaliforniaatSantaBarbara.Retrieved17October2011.
5.MaryBellis(20120409)."CharlesMartinHallTheHistoryofAluminum".Inventors.about.com.Retrieved
20121228.
6."History".
7.Hanlon,J.(1992).1sted.HandbookofPackageEngineering,Lancaster,Pennsylvania,andTechnomic
Publishing:ISBN0877629242.Chapter3FilmsandFoils.
8.Robertson,G.(2006).2nded.FoodPackaging,PrinciplesandPractise,BocaRaton,FL,Taylor&Francis
Group:ISBN0849337755.Chapter7MetalPackagingMaterials.
9.Degarmo,E.PaulBlack,JT.Kohser,RonaldA.(2003).MaterialsandProcessesinManufacturing(9thed.).
Wiley.p.386.ISBN0471656534.
10."FrequentlyAskedQuestions"(PDF).Retrieved20140824.

11.Examplesofproducts(http://www.reynoldspkg.com/reynoldskitchens/en/product_category.asp?cat_id=1337)
12.Ott,Henry(1976),NoiseReductionTechniquesinElectronicSystems,WileyInterscience,ISBN0471657263.
Ott(1976,figure613)graphsreflectionlossforcopper,andshowselectricfieldandplanewavelossesatgreater
than90dB.
13.Ott1976,pp.155156
14.Huss,G.(1997)MicrowaveablePackagingandDualOvenableMaterialsinTheWileyEncyclopediaof
PackagingTechnology,2nded.,editedbyBrody,A.andMarsch,K.NewYork,JohnWileyandSons
15.AsiaPacificPartnershiponCleanDevelopmentandClimate."ActionPlan,page5,table2:4.2vs.0.19".

Externallinks
EuropeanAluminiumFoilAssociation
WikimediaCommonshas
(http://www.alufoil.org)
mediarelatedtoAluminium
AluminiumAssociation(USA)(http://www.aluminum.org)
foil.
AluminiumFoil(http://www.madehow.com/Volume
1/AluminumFoil.html)fromHowProductsAreMade,vol.1,ThomsonGale(2005).
HowIt'sMade:AluminiumFoil(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4OTj9yNOak)
HowItsMadeEpisodeschannelonYouTube.

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