Aluminium foil

Aluminium foil is a thin sheet of aluminium that is commonly used in homes and industries around the world. It is produced by rolling large slabs of aluminium until they are less than 0.2 mm thick.

History

Aluminium foil was first produced by Robert Victor Neher in 1910 in Switzerland. The foil was marketed under the brand name "Tobler", and was used to wrap chocolate bars. The United States began producing aluminium foil in 1913, and the product became popular during World War II when it was used for military applications.

Production

The production of aluminium foil involves several steps. First, the aluminium is mined from bauxite ore and then refined into pure aluminium through the Bayer process and the Hall-Héroult process. The pure aluminium is then heated and passed through large rollers to create thin sheets. These sheets are then cooled and cut into the desired size.

Uses

Aluminium foil has many uses in both the home and industry. It is often used in cooking, where it can be used to wrap food for cooking or storage. In industry, it is used in insulation, electronics, and art.

Health and Safety

While aluminium foil is generally safe to use, there are some health and safety concerns associated with its use. Some studies have suggested that using aluminium foil for cooking can lead to the ingestion of small amounts of aluminium, which can be harmful to health. However, the World Health Organization has stated that the amount of aluminium ingested from cooking with aluminium foil is well below the safe limit.

Environmental Impact

Aluminium foil is recyclable, and recycling aluminium saves 95% of the energy required to produce new aluminium. However, not all recycling programs accept aluminium foil, and much of the foil used in homes ends up in landfills.

See Also

• Aluminium recycling
• Tin foil