Aluminium foil

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A roll of aluminium

Aluminium foil (also called aluminum foil in American English) is foil (a thin sheet of metal) made of aluminium. It is less than 0.2 mm (7.9 mils) thick. It can easily be bent or wrapped around objects. Aluminium foil replaced tin foil in the mid 20th century.

Approximately 75% of aluminium foil is used for packaging of foods, cosmetics, and chemical products. 25% is used for industrial uses. It can easily be recycled.[1]

History[change | change source]

Aluminium foil replaced tinfoil in 1910, when the first aluminium foil rolling factory, "Dr. Lauber, Neher & Cie." was opened in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The factory was owned by J.G. Neher & Sons. The factory started in 1886 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The way that aluminium foil was made started to change to include the use of print, colour, lacquer, lamination and the embossing of the aluminium.[2]

Properties[change | change source]

Aluminium foils thicker than 25 μm (1 mil) do not allow oxygen and water to pass through.

Aluminium foil has a shiny side and a dull side. The foil may have a non-stick coating on only one side. The reflectivity of bright aluminium foil is 88% while dull embossed foil is about 80%.[3]

Uses[change | change source]

Aluminium is used for packaging. Aluminium foil containers and trays are used to bake pies. It is also used pack takeaway meals. Aluminium foil is widely used in radiation shields and heat exchangers. Aluminium foil is used for art, decoration, and crafts.

References[change | change source]

  1. "Aluminum Foil & Packaging | The Aluminum Association". www.aluminum.org. Archived from the original on 2007-12-27. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  2. inventions, Mary Bellis Inventions Expert Mary Bellis covered; films, inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years She is known for her independent; documentaries; Alex, including one about; Bellis, er Graham Bell our editorial process Mary. "How Aluminum Became an Inexpensive Metal". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 2020-10-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. Hanlon, Joseph F. (1992). Handbook of package engineering. Institute of Packaging Professionals. (2nd ed.). Lancaster, Pa.: Technomic Pub. Co. ISBN 0-87762-924-2. OCLC 26333356.