Do you know the history of aluminum foil?

Aluminum foil is a deep-processed product of aluminum metal. It is an aluminum product with a relatively thin thickness obtained by rolling aluminum plate alloy. The use of aluminum foil can be traced back to the late 19th century and the early 20th century. The development process is full of technological innovation and continuous expansion of market applications, which also allows aluminum foil types and product specifications to have a wider range of choices.

When was aluminum foil invented?

When was aluminum foil made? Who invented aluminum foil? Aluminum foil has been used to this day and has undergone a long period of development. The invention of aluminum foil was as early as 1907 when the Swiss Schimmel invented the first aluminum foil. At that time, he hammered the aluminum into thin sheets, and then stretched the thin sheets through a roller machine to finally make aluminum foil. This thin sheet with a relatively thin thickness has the characteristics of lightness, waterproofness, and oxygen isolation, and was soon widely used in food packaging and other fields. Subsequently, the United States also began to produce aluminum foil in 1913, so aluminum foil developed rapidly in a short period of time in the early 20th century.

When was aluminum foil invented

Further development of aluminum foil in the world

In 1913, the United States began to produce aluminum foil based on the success of aluminum smelting, mainly used for high-end goods, life-saving supplies and chewing gum packaging. In 1921, the United States successfully developed composite aluminum foil paperboard, mainly used as decorative boards and high-end packaging folding cartons.
Promotion during World War II: During World War II, aluminum foil developed rapidly as a military packaging material, further promoting the progress of its production and application technology.

Technological innovation and wide application of aluminum foil

The advent of heat-sealable aluminum foil: In 1938, heat-sealable aluminum foil was introduced. This innovation made the application of aluminum foil in the packaging field more extensive and convenient.
Application of molded aluminum foil containers: In 1948, molded aluminum foil containers were used to package food, further enhancing the status of aluminum foil in the field of food packaging.
Development of aluminum paper and aluminum-plastic composite materials: In the 1950s, aluminum paper and aluminum-plastic composite materials began to develop, providing possibilities for the diversified application of aluminum foil in the packaging field.
Driven by color printing technology: In the 1970s, with the maturity of color printing technology, aluminum foil and aluminum-plastic composite packaging entered a period of rapid popularization, greatly enriching the appearance and functionality of aluminum foil packaging.

Development of aluminum foil in the Chinese market

Starting and rapid development: China’s aluminum foil production began in 1932, but it did not start to develop rapidly until after the reform and opening up. After the 1990s, aluminum foil production entered an important period. Not only did it introduce a large number of advanced equipment, but the production management and technology development levels also gradually moved towards modernization and internationalization.
Growth in market demand: Entering the 21st century, with the strong drive of market demand, aluminum foil production capacity has increased rapidly. Aluminum foil packaging has developed particularly rapidly in the Chinese market, mainly due to the gap between China’s flexible packaging market and developed countries, as well as the continuous maturity of domestic aluminum-plastic composite and aluminum-paper composite technologies and the reduction of production costs.

From the application history of aluminum foil, it was originally used as the most expensive packaging material only for high-end packaging. For example, in 1911, Swiss candy companies began to use aluminum foil to package chocolate, which gradually replaced tin foil and became popular. With the continuous advancement of production technology and the reduction of costs, the application scope of aluminum foil has gradually expanded, from high-end commodity packaging to life-saving supplies, chewing gum packaging, and later food packaging, pharmaceutical packaging and other fields. In the 1930s, aluminum foil was widely used in packaging fields such as milk, juice, and canned food. Because aluminum foil can effectively prevent oxidation, bacteria and corrosion, the shelf life of food has been significantly improved. In addition, aluminum foil can also play a role in fire prevention, heat preservation and shielding electromagnetic interference.

With the continuous advancement of science and technology, the production process of aluminum foil has also been continuously improved. The current aluminum foil production process is divided into two types: rolling method and thin plate stretching method. Among them, the latter can produce thinner, lighter and more uniform aluminum foil, which has been widely used.