Aluminum foil is a special material made by repeatedly rolling high-purity aluminum into extremely thin "aluminum sheets" and then combining them with paper. It combines the excellent properties of metal with the malleability of paper, and is widely used in daily life. The "tin foil" we often refer to is actually aluminum foil. It is called "tin foil" because its predecessor was made of tin, but tin is expensive and has an odor, so it was later replaced by aluminum, which has better performance and lower cost.

Key parameters

The grammage, thickness, and size of aluminum foil paper can vary greatly depending on its intended use.

Grammage: For composite aluminum foil paper (including paper base), it is commonly expressed in grams per square meter (gsm), with a range of 20-350 gsm. Among them, the liner paper is usually between 21-50gsm, while the finished aluminum foil paper used for food packaging often has a grammage between 28-56gsm. For pure aluminum foil, the thickness is commonly distinguished in micrometers (μm):

Ultra-thin/household: 6-20 micrometers (e.g., commonly used in household cooking at 0.01mm/10 micrometers)

Standard/lunch box: 40-200 micrometers

Width: The width of the rolled product can be customized within the range of 30mm to 1600mm.

Production process

Currently, there are two mainstream compounding methods in the industry:

Laminating composite: Bonding finished aluminum foil to paper base with adhesive is the most common method currently.

Vacuum aluminum plating: In a vacuum environment, aluminum is evaporated and then evenly "plated" onto the paper surface. This method uses less aluminum and is more cost-effective.

Core Features

"Aluminum" endows it with various practical characteristics:

Flexible and easy to shape: Soft texture, easy to fold as needed, and does not rebound after being shaped.

High barrier properties: It is opaque and airtight, effectively preventing moisture, preserving freshness, and maintaining fragrance. The barrier properties are directly proportional to its thickness.

Excellent thermal conductivity: High temperature resistance and fast heat conduction, widely used in cooking, barbecuing, and other occasions.

High malleability: With a smooth surface and a silver-white base color, it is suitable for printing various patterns and serves as an excellent decorative element.

It is not recommended to come into contact with strong acids: long-term packaging of foods with strong acidity/alkalinity should be avoided to prevent aluminum leaching.

Main purpose

1. Food industry

Food packaging: Packaging that comes into direct contact with food, such as chocolate, candy, and yogurt cup lids. Blister packaging for pharmaceuticals also utilizes its high barrier properties.

Cooking and baking: Wrapping meat and vegetables in barbecue or covering them during baking can prevent the surface from burning and lock in moisture and nutrients. Aluminum foil lunch boxes are commonly used for takeout and airline meals.

2. Industry and commerce

High-end printing: used for packaging and printing of high-end cigarettes, wines, and gift boxes, enhancing the product's grade.

Special applications:

Building: As a thermal insulation material, it is pasted on the outer layer of the insulation material.

Industry: Used in electrolytic capacitors, lithium battery casings, automotive radiators, etc.

Electronics: As an electromagnetic shielding material.

Hairdressing: Assist in perm, utilizing its metal material for heat conduction.

3. Daily ingenious uses

In daily life, it can also be used for sharpening scissors, cleaning silverware, and wrapping cables for temporary identification.

Overall, from kitchen cooking to industrial manufacturing, aluminum foil plays an indispensable role in our production and daily life due to its excellent comprehensive performance.