Aluminum Foil from the Mill: Gauges, Alloys, Barrier Properties & Industry Applications
HXM produces 8011, 1235, 1100, 3003, 8021 and 8079 aluminum foil from 0.0055 mm (5.5 µm) to 0.2 mm, in jumbo rolls up to 1,600 mm wide, with pinhole-controlled O/H18/H22/H24 tempers for household wrap, flexible packaging, pharmaceutical blister (PTP), cable wrap, insulation and battery current collectors. MOQ 500 kg per size, lead time 15–25 days, EN 10204 3.1 certificates and FDA / EU 1935/2004 food-contact compliance on request.
⚡ Quick Answer
Aluminum foil is flat-rolled aluminum below 0.2 mm (200 µm) thick, produced by precision rolling — below ~0.03 mm it must be rolled doubled, which creates the classic one-bright/one-matte finish. Choose 8011-O for household and food wrap, 1235/1060 for capacitor and battery foil, 8021/8079 for high-barrier pharma and retort laminates, and 3003-H22/24 for semi-rigid containers. A complete barrier to light, oxygen and aroma at any thickness, foil owes its food safety to an inert oxide film. See our aluminum foil range →
Key Takeaways
- Foil = below 0.2 mm. Between 0.2 mm and 6 mm the same rolled product is called sheet; above 6 mm it is plate. Below ~0.03 mm, two webs are rolled together (double-rolling), so one side is bright and one is matte.
- Barrier, not strength, is the point. Even 6 µm foil blocks light, oxygen and aroma completely — pinhole count, not tensile strength, is the quality metric that decides packaging shelf life.
- Alloy by application: 8011 is the universal workhorse; 1235/1060 for electrolytic capacitor and battery foil; 8021/8079 for deep-draw pharma and high-barrier laminates; 3003 for semi-rigid containers; 1100 for general converter stock.
- Temper logic: O = softest, best for wrapping and deep draw; H18 = full hard for rigid containers and lidding; H22/H24 balance stiffness with formability for forming foils.
- Thin foil costs more per kilo. Each gauge reduction raises yield loss and rolling passes — a 6 µm converter foil can carry 30–50% conversion premium over 20 µm stock.
- Specify pinholes, wettability and food contact in writing (e.g. pinholes ≤ 50/m² at 9 µm, wettability ≥ 32 dyn/cm) before ordering — these cannot be inspected into the product afterwards.
1. What Is Aluminum Foil? Definition and the Foil / Sheet / Strip Boundary
Aluminum foil is a flat-rolled aluminum product no thicker than 0.2 mm (200 µm). The same alloy rolled thicker becomes sheet or strip; rolled thinner, it enters foil territory where the metal behaves more like a thin membrane than a plate — flexible, tearable, and light enough that a standard kitchen roll weighs grams per metre.
Three boundaries matter when you spec material, because suppliers price and certificate each one differently:
- Foil vs sheet — 0.2 mm. Below it: foil (ASTM B479 / EN 546 govern). Above it: aluminum sheet (ASTM B209 / EN 485).
- Foil vs strip — strip is a width classification, not thickness. Narrow slit coil between roughly 0.05–0.2 mm used for transformer windings, cable armour or channel forming is bought as aluminum strip; below 0.05 mm it is always foil regardless of width.
- Foil vs coil — coil is the supply format (a wound roll); jumbo mother rolls are slit into converting widths. See the aluminum coil guide for the upstream product.
Typical household wrap is 10–16 µm — about one-tenth the diameter of a human hair. Heavy-duty catering foil runs 20–30 µm; pharmaceutical blister lidding sits at 20–25 µm; capacitor and battery foils go as thin as 5.5–16 µm.
2. How Aluminum Foil Is Made: Rolling, Doubling, Annealing
Foil production starts where aluminum coil production ends. A hot-rolled transfer coil of 0.4–0.7 mm foil stock is progressively reduced on cold rolling mills. Below roughly 0.03 mm, the metal can no longer be rolled alone — it punctures instead of elongating. Mills therefore roll two webs together (double-rolling): the foil-to-foil contact surfaces come out matte, while the roll-contact surfaces stay bright. That is why every pack of kitchen foil has a bright and a matte side — a manufacturing signature, not a performance difference (cooking tests show no meaningful effect either way).
| Stage | Input → Output | What Is Controlled | Why It Matters to You |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foil stock casting | Molten Al → 6–10 mm strip (CC) or slab (DC) | Fe/Si ratio, grain | Drawing quality, pinhole resistance |
| Roughing mill | 0.7 mm → 0.15–0.25 mm | Gauge profile, crown | Base for uniform final gauge |
| Finishing mill (single sheet) | 0.25 → 0.03 mm | Tension, rolling oil, speed | Surface finish, flatness |
| Finishing mill (doubled) | 2 × 0.03 → 2 × 0.0055–0.02 mm | Coil brightness, pinholes | Ultimate gauge limit ≈ 5.5 µm |
| Annealing | H18 → O / H22 | Oil burn-off, grain growth | Softness, wettability, food safety (no rolling-oil residue) |
| Slitting / converting | Jumbo roll → customer widths | Width tolerance ±0.1–0.5 mm | Runs on your printing / laminating line |
Pinholes — microscopic perforations created by inclusions, roll damage or over-reduction — are the single most quoted foil quality metric. Specifications typically cap pinholes at ≤ 50 per m² for 9 µm foil and near-zero above 30 µm. Thinner foil at equal alloy inevitably means more pinholes; high-barrier laminate structures compensate with polymer or metallised PET layers rather than chasing zero-pin foil.
3. Aluminum Foil Alloys Compared: 8011, 1235, 1100, 3003, 8021, 8079
Foil alloys cluster in the 1xxx (pure), 3xxx (Al-Mn) and 8xxx (Fe-Si modified) families. The choice is a trade-off between softness, strength, pinhole resistance and cost:
| Alloy | Family / Character | Strength | Formability | Typical Gauges | Where It Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | 99.0% Al, general converter stock | Low | Very good | 0.03–0.2 mm | Household wrap, insulation facing, cable wrap |
| 1235 | 99.35% Al, high purity | Low | Excellent | 0.0055–0.02 mm | Electrolytic capacitor foil, light-gauge converter |
| 1060 | 99.6% Al | Low | Excellent | 0.01–0.05 mm | Battery current collector, decorative |
| 3003 | Al-Mn + Cu | Mid | Good | 0.03–0.2 mm | Semi-rigid containers, HVAC foil, fin stock |
| 3004 | Al-Mn + Mg | Mid-high | Good | 0.06–0.2 mm | Rigid container stock, deep-drawn bodies |
| 8011 | Al-Fe-Si, the workhorse | Mid | Very good | 0.006–0.2 mm | Household foil, PTP lidding, flexible packaging |
| 8021 | Higher Fe, deep-draw 8xxx | Mid | Excellent in draw | 0.02–0.06 mm | Pharma cold-form blister, retort pouches, foil containers |
| 8079 | High Fe, high pinhole resistance | Mid | Excellent | 0.006–0.04 mm | High-barrier laminates, strip foil, cigarette liner |
Practical selection rules: if your customer names no alloy, quote 8011 — it dominates global foil volume and every converter line is set up for it. Deep-draw pharmaceutical cavities (cold-form blister) want 8021 or 8079 because their coarse Fe-rich dispersoids reduce earing and cracking at 45–60% draws. For battery cathode substrate, purity wins: 1060/1235 at 10–16 µm. Our alloy deep-dives: 8011 foil guide, 1100 aluminum guide, 3003 guide, and the 1060 vs 1050 comparison. Product page: 8011 aluminum foil.
4. Foil Thickness & Gauge Chart: from 5.5 µm Battery Foil to 200 µm Industrial
Foil thickness is quoted in mm or microns (µm); 1 µm = 0.001 mm. Weight per square metre scales directly: g/m² = thickness(µm) × 2.71 (aluminium density 2.71 g/cm³).
| Thickness | Common Name | Typical Alloys | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5–7 µm | Light-gauge converter / capacitor | 1235, 8079 | Capacitor foil, cigarette liner laminate, cable screen |
| 8–9 µm | Household economy (Asia) | 8011-O | Kitchen wrap, food liner laminates |
| 10–12 µm | Household standard (global) | 8011-O | Kitchen wrap, confectionery twist wrap |
| 14–16 µm | Heavy household / catering | 8011, 1100-O | Catering foil, lid stock laminates |
| 18–25 µm | Pharma lidding / PTP | 8011-H18, 8021 | Blister lidding, strip packs, sachets |
| 25–38 µm | Container / semi-rigid | 3003, 8011-H24 | Foil trays, containers, baking forms |
| 40–70 µm | Insulation & industrial | 1100, 8011 | Duct insulation facing, cable armour, fin stock |
| 70–200 µm | Heavy industrial | 1100, 3003 | Chemical equipment, gaskets, shielded cable wrap |
| Thickness (µm) | g/m² | m² per kg | Typical Roll: 300 mm × 1,000 mm OD/ID | Length per Tonne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 16.3 | 61.4 | ≈ 37,000 m (master roll basis) | ≈ 61,400 m² |
| 9 | 24.4 | 41.0 | ≈ 25,000 m | ≈ 41,000 m² |
| 12 | 32.5 | 30.8 | ≈ 18,500 m | ≈ 30,800 m² |
| 16 | 43.4 | 23.1 | ≈ 14,000 m | ≈ 23,100 m² |
| 20 | 54.2 | 18.5 | ≈ 11,000 m | ≈ 18,500 m² |
| 25 | 67.8 | 14.8 | ≈ 8,900 m | ≈ 14,800 m² |
| 40 | 108.4 | 9.2 | ≈ 5,600 m | ≈ 9,200 m² |
Run the exact numbers for any format with our aluminum weight calculation guide. Note that length per tonne doubles every ~7 µm of gauge reduction — which is why converter mills buy light-gauge foil by the tonne and think in kilometres.
5. Mechanical Properties by Alloy-Temper (typical, confirm against mill certificate)
UTS = ultimate tensile strength; YS = yield strength; elongation on 50 mm gauge. Foil values are gauge-sensitive — thin foil tests lower than the same alloy in sheet:
| Alloy-Temper | UTS (MPa) | YS (MPa) | Elong. (%) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8011-O (10–20 µm) | 45–80 | ≥ 15 | ≥ 8–15 | Household wrap, forming foil |
| 8011-H18 (20–40 µm) | ≥ 160 | ≥ 140 | 1–3 | Rigid containers, lidding |
| 8011-H22 | 100–140 | ≥ 70 | 5–12 | Deep-draw containers |
| 8011-H24 | 120–160 | ≥ 100 | 3–8 | Semi-rigid trays |
| 1235-O (6–12 µm) | 40–70 | ≥ 12 | ≥ 10 | Capacitor foil, etching |
| 1100-O | 60–90 | ≥ 20 | 15–30 | Cable wrap, insulation facing |
| 1100-H18 | ≥ 130 | ≥ 115 | 1–4 | Rigid industrial foil |
| 3003-H22 | 120–160 | ≥ 80 | 6–14 | Container stock |
| 3003-H24 | 140–180 | ≥ 110 | 4–10 | Trays, fin stock |
| 3004-O | 150–200 | ≥ 60 | 14–22 | Deep-drawn bodies |
| 8021-O | 70–110 | ≥ 25 | 12–25 | Cold-form blister, retort |
| 8079-O | 55–90 | ≥ 20 | ≥ 12 | High-barrier laminate foil |
For the underlying metallurgy — why O tempers anneal soft and H18 tempers work-harden — see the coil guide’s temper section, our temper designation decoder (T6/T4/H32 explained), and the aluminum mechanical properties chart. Foil is rarely structural: if your part carries load above 0.2 mm, move to sheet — the 5052 vs 5083 marine sheet guide covers the load-bearing end of the range.
6. Surface & Finish Options: Bright, Matte, Coated, Laminated, Embossed
| Finish | How It Is Made | Key Specs | Typical Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| One side bright (OSB) | Double-rolled foil, separated after rolling | Bright 60–75% reflectivity | Household foil, laminates, pouches |
| Two sides bright (2SB) | Single-sheet rolling above ~0.03 mm | Uniform appearance | Heavy foil, industrial facing |
| Two sides matte (2SM) | Foil-to-foil on both surfaces | Low gloss, print-friendly | Pharma strip packs |
| Lacquered / coated | Inline or offline coating, 1–12 g/m² | Wettability ≥ 38 dyn/cm, heat-seal grades | Pouches, lidding, closure liners |
| Laminated (PET/PE/OPA) | Adhesive or extrusion lamination | Peel strength ≥ 4 N/15 mm | Retort pouches, coffee bags |
| Embossed / patterned | Mechanical embossing rolls | Pattern depth 20–80 µm | Insulation jacketing, decorative |
| Coloured / printed | Gravure or flexo up to 8 colours | Registration ±0.2 mm | Consumer packaging, branding |
| Blue-tempered | Controlled oxide, slight iridescence | Decorative | Gift wrap, premium packaging |
Wettability (dyne level) decides whether inks and adhesives anchor to the foil. Rolled foil carries rolling-oil residue; converters need ≥ 32–38 dyn/cm, achieved by degreasing anneal or corona treatment. If your line prints or laminates, put the dyne spec on the purchase order — it is the most common cause of ink crawl complaints we see from new converters.
7. Industry Applications: Which Foil Where
Foil’s combination of total barrier, dead-fold behaviour and food-contact safety makes it the packaging material of record wherever shelf life is money. The matrix below maps each industry to the foil structure buyers actually order:
| Industry | Typical Structure | Alloy / Temper | Gauge | Why Foil |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household & catering | Plain wrap, precut sheets | 8011-O | 9–16 µm | Total aroma barrier, oven-safe to ~250 °C |
| Food flexible packaging | Foil + PET + PE laminate | 8079-O, 8011-O | 6–9 µm | Shelf life 6–24 months, light blocking |
| Retort / sterilisable pouches | PET/AL/OPA/PP laminate | 8079-O | 9–12 µm | Survives 121 °C retort, zero OTR |
| Pharmaceutical PTP lidding | Foil + heat-seal lacquer (printed) | 8011-H18 | 20–25 µm | Tamper evidence, push-through |
| Cold-form blister | OPA/AL/PVC laminate | 8021-O | 40–60 µm | Deep draw, moisture barrier for hygroscopic drugs |
| Cigarette innerliner | Foil + paper laminate | 8011, 8079 | 6–9 µm | Aroma lock, dead-fold |
| Cable & telecom | Foil tape / screen wrap | 1100, 8011 | 20–50 µm | EMI shield, moisture barrier |
| Building insulation facing | Foil + kraft / scrim (FSK) | 1100-H18 | 7–20 µm | Radiant barrier, vapour barrier |
| HVAC duct & fin stock | Coated foil, fin stock | 8011, 3003 | 10–100 µm | Formable, corrosion-resistant |
| Lithium-ion battery | Plain / etched cathode foil | 1060, 1235 | 10–16 µm | Conductivity, cathode adhesion |
| Electrolytic capacitors | Etched + formed anode/cathode | 1235, 8011 | 5.5–90 µm | Enormous effective surface after etching |
| Houseware & decoration | Coloured, embossed foil | 8011, 1235 | 10–20 µm | Premium look, formability |
Deeper reads by application: food-grade aluminum guide (FDA / EU compliance), 3003 aluminum in EV battery systems, 3003 for HVAC & heat exchangers, and the aluminum honeycomb panel guide — honeycomb cores are foil expanded into hex cells.
8. Barrier Performance: WVTR, OTR and the Role of Pinholes
Foil is the only flexible packaging layer with effectively zero transmission of water vapour and oxygen — polymer films always transmit something. Laminates are specified by their worst layer, and pinholes raise real-world transmission:
| Structure | WVTR (g/m²·day) | OTR (cm³/m²·day) | Shelf-Life Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 µm foil laminate (intact) | < 0.05 | < 0.1 | Coffee, pharma: 12–24 months |
| 12 µm PET met. film (reference) | 0.5–1.5 | 0.5–2.0 | Snacks: 6–12 months |
| 9 µm foil, 200 pinholes/m² | 0.2–0.5 | 0.3–0.8 | Measurable aroma loss at 6 months |
| 20 µm foil (no pinholes) | < 0.02 | < 0.05 | Retort, medical: 24+ months |
| 50 µm PE (no foil, reference) | 8–15 | 2,000–4,000 | Days to weeks only |
Spec-writing tip: demand pinhole count by gauge (e.g. ≤ 50/m² at 9 µm, ≤ 10/m² at 20 µm, zero > 0.1 mm pinholes at any gauge) rather than a vague “pinhole-free”. Reputable mills measure online with pinhole detectors and can supply per-coil records with EN 10204 3.1 certificates.
9. Quality Standards, Food Contact & Testing
Which specification your foil carries depends on where it sells. These are the ones buyers audit against:
| Standard / Reg. | Scope | What We Certify |
|---|---|---|
| ASTM B479 | Bare & laminated foil for flexible barriers | Alloy, temper, gauge tolerance, pinholes |
| EN 546-1/-2/-4 | European foil spec: general, mechanical, pinholes | Gauge class, pinhole limits, wettability |
| GB/T 3198 | Chinese national foil standard | Dimensional + mechanical conformity |
| FDA 21 CFR 175.300 / 177.1395 | US food contact (resin/coatings, laminates) | Food-safe lacquer + substrate compliance |
| EU 1935/2004 + EU 10/2011 | EU food contact framework + plastics migration | Declaration of Compliance (DoC) |
| GMP / ISO 15378 | Pharma packaging QMS | Batch traceability, cleanroom converting |
| EN 10204 3.1 | Mill certificate with actual test results | Every HXM shipment |
Acceptance tests you can run on receipt: gauge scan across the web (±5% at ≤ 10 µm), pinhole count on a light box, wettability by dyne pens, heat-seal strength on your own laminator, and odour check after 30 min at 200 °C (detects under-annealed rolling oil). Our food-grade guide walks through the food-contact paperwork in detail.
10. Buying Foil for Converting: Slitting, Printing, Laminating Requirements
Converters buy jumbo or slit rolls that must run at 200–500 m/min without breaks. Beyond alloy and gauge, these parameters decide whether the roll runs or jams:
| Parameter | Typical Spec | Why Converters Care |
|---|---|---|
| Width tolerance | ±0.1 mm (precision slit), ±0.5 mm (mill edge) | Print registration, pouch web width |
| Camber | ≤ 1 mm/m | Web tracking on gravure presses |
| Out-of-flat / baggy edges | ≤ 2 mm over full width | Wrinkles in lamination nip |
| Core ID | 76 mm (3″) or 152 mm | Must match your unwind chuck |
| Roll OD | 300–800 mm typical | Changeover frequency, splicing plans |
| Joint type | Butt splices, taped & flagged | Break detection; count disclosed per roll |
| Unwind direction | Print side in / out, specified | Wrong orientation = reprint waste |
| End seal | Waterproof tape + plastic caps | Moisture ingress in tropical shipping |
For narrow finished widths at heavier gauges — transformer edge-wound strip, cable armour, roll-formed channels — you are actually buying aluminum strip; the slitting technology is the same, but the tolerance and edge specs differ. Foil below 6 µm in multiple plies is where the coil → foil interface gets genuinely technical; our coil guide covers the upstream rolling.
11. Household vs Converter vs Pharmaceutical Foil: What Actually Differs
| Attribute | Household / Catering | Converter (Packaging) | Pharmaceutical (PTP / CFF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gauge | 9–30 µm | 6–12 µm laminate ply | 20–25 µm lidding / 45–60 µm CFF |
| Alloy | 8011-O | 8079 / 8011-O | 8011-H18 / 8021-O |
| Surface | OSB, plain or light oil | Coated, printed, laminated | Printed + heat-seal lacquer (VCB) |
| Key spec | Strength, no spinner holes | Pinholes, dyne, seal latitude | Seal peel force 2–8 N/15 mm |
| Certification | Food contact (FDA/EU) | Food contact + converter QMS | GMP, ISO 15378, batch DoC |
| Audit intensity | Low | Medium | High — pharmacopoeia risk assessments |
One recurring buyer question: foil vs “tin foil”. Modern foil is aluminium; actual tin foil is a legacy product that is heavier, stiffer and three times the price. We compare them — plus what the matte side really does — in tin foil vs aluminum foil. If you wrap food commercially, the food-grade aluminum guide lists which alloys are compliant and at what temperatures.
12. Battery, Capacitor & Specialty Foils
Two specialty niches have grown into serious volume and demand tighter process control than packaging foil:
- Battery current collector foil. Lithium-ion cathodes are coated onto 10–16 µm 1060/1235 foil. Requirements: gauge uniformity ±3%, tensile ≥ 100 MPa after surface treatment, dry surface (moisture < 30 ppm), and clean edges — burrs puncture separators and cause shorts. Our EV battery systems guide covers the wider cell-materials picture, and the automotive lightweighting guide shows where foil laminates fit vehicle interiors.
- Electrolytic capacitor foil. Anode foil is DC-etched and formed to grow a dielectric oxide; cathode foil is etched only. Both start from high-purity 1235/1060 at 5.5–90 µm where a single inclusion ruins the formation process. Capacitance per volume is a direct function of etch tunnel density — which is inherited from casting purity, not from the etching line itself.
Also in the specialty family: honeycomb core foil (expanded into hex cells for sandwich panels — see the honeycomb panel guide), transformer shielding and cable screening tapes, and electrolytic condenser stock. Purity-driven applications pair best with 1xxx product knowledge — start at our aluminum coil and 1100 alloy pages.
13. Foil Price Drivers: What Moves Your Quote
| Cost Component | Share of Invoice (typical) | What Moves It |
|---|---|---|
| LME aluminium + regional premium | 55–75% | Metal exchange price; premium varies by region (SHFE/LME spread) |
| Conversion (rolling, annealing) | 15–30% | Gauge: each halving of thickness adds passes; 6 µm carries the largest premium |
| Finishing (coating, printing, laminating) | 0–25% | Number of colours, lacquer type, laminate layers |
| Alloy premium | 0–8% | 1235/8079 purity and grain control over 8011 |
| Packing & logistics | 3–6% | Wooden cases, VCI paper, container utilisation |
Why thinner costs disproportionately more: doubling-rolled foil yields only half its length per pass (two webs), rejects concentrate at light gauges, and pinhole inspection slows the line. A 9 µm coil routinely quotes 20–35% above 20 µm on the same alloy. Track the metal with our aluminum price trends & market guide, and for landed-cost math from China read the sourcing from China buyer’s guide. Recycling matters to cost too — foil scrap is refining-grade input, covered in the aluminum recycling guide.
14. RFQ Checklist: the 9 Points That Get an Accurate Foil Quote
| # | Spec Line | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alloy & temper | 8011-O |
| 2 | Thickness + tolerance class | 0.009 mm ±5% |
| 3 | Width (slit or mill edge) + tolerance | 1,000 mm ±0.5 mm |
| 4 | Surface | One side bright, wettability ≥ 34 dyn/cm |
| 5 | Pinhole limit | ≤ 50 holes/m² at 9 µm |
| 6 | Core & roll size | ID 76 mm, OD ≤ 600 mm, butt splices flagged |
| 7 | Certification | EN 10204 3.1 + EU 1935/2004 DoC |
| 8 | Packing | Wooden case, VCI paper, humidity indicator |
| 9 | Volume & delivery | 5 t/month, CIF Jeddah, first ship 25 days |
Send these nine lines and you will get a firm, valid quote in one round instead of five emails of clarifications. Missing items default to our standard: 8011-O, mill edge, standard pinhole class, export wooden case packing.
15. Packaging, Storage & Handling
Foil ships as eye-to-sky rolls on wooden pallets or cradles, in sealed wooden cases for export. The enemy is moisture condensation: foil coils arriving cold into a humid warehouse flash-condense and stain (white corrosion) within days. Standard HXM export packing:
- VCI / neutral pH interleaved paper, end caps, waterproof stretch wrap
- Silica gel + humidity indicator card in every case
- Wooden case fumigated per ISPM 15, case marked with coil ID for certificate matching
- Store at 10–35 °C, relative humidity < 60%, off concrete floors, allow 24 h thermal equalisation before opening cases
- Shelf life: bare foil 6 months in original sealed packing; lacquered foil 12 months
Handling note: foil coils are light but fragile — never lift by the web, use core probes, and avoid dropping even 30 cm, which telescopes the roll and makes the outer laps print-misregister. General corrosion behaviour of the alloy itself is covered in the aluminum corrosion guide.
16. Why Source Foil from HXM
- Mill-direct, 5.5–200 µm in one plant — household wrap through battery foil on the same certified line.
- Pinhole-controlled doubling process with online detection and per-coil records.
- Food and pharma compliance files (FDA, EU 1935/2004, ISO 15378 GMP) shipped with the goods, not promised after audit.
- MOQ 500 kg per size — converter trial orders and 20 ft container loads get the same priority.
- Quotes in 12 hours against the 9-point RFQ list above; LME-referenced pricing with transparent conversion.
- One supplier across forms: foil, coil, strip, sheet, circle, tube — consolidate containers, cut freight per kilo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Aluminum Foil
What is the standard thickness of household aluminum foil?
Standard household foil is 10–12 µm (0.010–0.012 mm) globally; economy Asian market rolls run 8–9 µm, and heavy-duty or catering foil is 14–30 µm. Thinner gauges tear more easily but cost less per roll.
Why does aluminum foil have a shiny side and a dull side?
Below about 0.03 mm the foil cannot be rolled as a single sheet, so two webs are rolled together. The surfaces that touch each other come out matte; the surfaces touching the polished rolls stay bright. The difference is purely cosmetic — heat retention tests show no meaningful cooking difference between sides.
Which aluminum alloy is used for kitchen foil?
8011-O is the dominant household alloy worldwide, with 1100-O and 1235 used in some markets. All are ≥ 99% aluminium with controlled iron and silicon for strength and pinhole resistance.
Is aluminum foil safe for direct food contact?
Yes. Uncoated aluminium foil is approved for food contact under EU 1935/2004 and US FDA practice, thanks to the inert oxide film. For acidic or salty foods held hot for hours, food regulators recommend a barrier (e.g. parchment) because aluminium migration rises with acidity and salt at high temperature.
What is PTP foil?
Press-Through Packaging foil: 20–25 µm 8011-H18 lidding printed and heat-seal lacquered, welded onto PVC/PVDC blister cavities for tablets. The patient pushes the tablet through the foil — combining tamper evidence with unit-dose hygiene.
How thin can aluminum foil be made?
The practical limit for doubled foil is about 5.5 µm (0.0055 mm). Below that, pinhole counts and handling breaks rise faster than value; capacitor-grade foil is the thinnest produced at scale.
What causes pinholes in foil?
Non-metallic inclusions from melting, roll-surface damage, and over-reduction in the final passes. Specification limits are typically ≤ 50/m² at 9 µm and ≤ 10/m² at 20 µm, verified by online detectors and light-box sampling.
What is the difference between 8011, 8021 and 8079 foil?
8011 is the general-purpose workhorse. 8021 offers better deep-draw performance for cold-form blister and containers. 8079 provides the best pinhole resistance for high-barrier 6–9 µm laminates. All are Al-Fe-Si 8xxx alloys.
Which foil is used for lithium-ion batteries?
Cathode current collectors use 10–16 µm 1060 or 1235 foil with tight gauge tolerance (±3%), high surface cleanliness and burr-free slit edges. Anode collectors are copper foil — aluminium is unsuitable at anode potentials.
Can aluminum foil be recycled?
Yes — aluminium is infinitely recyclable and foil scrap is high-grade input. Clean foil recycles easily; food-contaminated household foil is often screened out by municipal sorting, so rinse it where facilities allow. See our aluminum recycling guide for the circular-economy numbers.
What is the maximum temperature aluminum foil can handle?
Aluminium melts at 660 °C (see our melting point guide), but household foil is oven-safe to about 250 °C continuous — far above any cooking need. In direct flame contact it will eventually oxidise and embrittle rather than melt through instantly.
How do I calculate foil weight per square metre?
Multiply thickness in µm by 2.71 to get g/m² (aluminium density 2.71 g/cm³). A 12 µm foil weighs 32.5 g/m²; one tonne of it covers about 30,800 m². Our weight calculation guide has the full formula set.
What wettability (dyne level) should converting foil have?
≥ 32 dyn/cm for adhesives and ≥ 38 dyn/cm for printing inks is the common purchase-order language. Achieved by degreasing anneal or corona treatment; verify on receipt with dyne pens.
What is the MOQ and lead time for custom foil from HXM?
MOQ is 500 kg per alloy-gauge-width combination. Production lead time is 15–25 days for standard gauges, plus 25–35 days sea transit depending on destination. Trial orders can sometimes run from stock widths faster.
What certificates come with a foil shipment?
Every shipment carries an EN 10204 3.1 mill certificate with actual chemical and mechanical results, dimensional report and pinhole records where specified; food-contact DoC (EU 1935/2004) or FDA compliance letters are provided for food and pharma orders.
How should foil coils be stored after delivery?
Keep coils in original sealed packing at 10–35 °C and below 60% RH, off concrete floors, and let cold cases equalise for 24 hours before opening to prevent condensation staining. Bare foil shelf life is about 6 months sealed; lacquered foil about 12 months.
Related Guides & Product Pages
- Aluminum Foil product range — 8011, 1235, 8079 and custom alloys
- 8011 Aluminum Foil — the household & packaging workhorse
- Aluminum Coil: Complete Guide — the upstream product foil is rolled from
- Aluminum Strip: Complete Guide — narrow slit coil at heavier gauges
- Aluminum Bar & Rod: Complete Guide — the solid-section end of the mill
- 8011 Aluminum Foil Guide — deep dive on the most-ordered foil alloy
- Food Grade Aluminum Guide — FDA / EU compliance by alloy
- Tin Foil vs Aluminum Foil — and the truth about matte vs bright sides
- 3003 Aluminum for EV Battery Systems
- 3003 Aluminum for HVAC & Heat Exchangers
- Aluminum Price Trends & Market Guide 2026
- How to Source Aluminum from China
- Aluminum Weight Calculation Guide
- Aluminum Recycling & Sustainability Guide
- Aluminum Corrosion Resistance Guide
- Melting Point of Aluminum
- 1100 Aluminum Alloy Guide
- 3003 Aluminum: Ultimate Guide · 3004 Alloy Guide
- Aluminum Coil products · Aluminum Strip products · Aluminum Sheet products · Aluminum Circle products
- All HXM Aluminum Products · Contact the factory
Get Your Aluminum Foil Quote in 12 Hours
Send us the 9-point spec from Section 14 — or just tell us what you package. We’ll reply with a firm, LME-referenced quote, mill certificate samples, pinhole records and packing photos within 12 hours.
