Aluminum foil is an extremely thin sheet made by directly rolling metallic aluminum. It is soft, has a silvery-white luster, and is widely used in daily life. The main characteristics of aluminum foil are its good ductility and ease of deformation, but it is prone to oxidation and darkening upon contact with air.
Aluminum foil material grades and specifications:
Based on alloy systems, it is mainly divided into 1-series, 3-series, 5-series, and 8-series, etc. Common grades include 1060 aluminum foil, 1100 aluminum foil, 1235 aluminum foil (pure aluminum); 3003 aluminum foil, 3004 aluminum foil (aluminum manganese/aluminum manganese magnesium); 5052 aluminum foil (aluminum magnesium); 8011 aluminum foil, 8079 aluminum foil (aluminum iron silicon), etc. Based on state, it is divided into soft state (O) and hard state (H14/H18, etc.). Based on application, it is divided into food grade, pharmaceutical grade (such as PTP aluminum foil), battery grade, etc., and must comply with national standards such as GB/T 3198 and GB/T 22649.
1-series (e.g., 1060, 1100, 1235): Purity ≥99.0%, good ductility and strong barrier properties, used in food/pharmaceutical packaging (e.g., 1235 is a pharmaceutical PTP aluminum foil substrate).
3-series (e.g., 3003, 3004): Contains Mn (and a small amount of Mg), high strength and good corrosion resistance, used in lunch boxes, air conditioner foil, and aluminum honeycomb.
5-series (e.g., 5052): Contains Mg (2.2%~2.8%), high strength and excellent salt spray corrosion resistance, used in aerospace, lithium battery pouch cells, and corrosion-resistant containers.
8-series (e.g., 8011, 8079): Contains Fe+Si, balances formability and barrier properties, low pinhole rate, most widely used in food packaging, PTP pharmaceutical foil, and battery foil (8079 is a high-purity battery current collector). State: Soft state (O, annealed) for deep-drawing packaging; Hard state (H14/H18) for structural components or applications requiring strength.
Food/Pharmaceutical Grade: Must meet GB 4806.9 (food contact materials) and YBB pharmaceutical packaging standards. 8011-O and 1235-O are common substrates.
Thickness Standard: China stipulates aluminum foil ≤ 0.20mm (> 0.2mm is aluminum sheet/strip), commonly 0.006–0.07mm (packaging) and 0.01–0.02mm (battery foil).
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Advantage Products
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Alloy
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Temper
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Thickness
(mm)
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Width
(mm)
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Length
(mm)
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Application
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1235
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O / H
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0.006-0.2
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100-1600
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C
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Food Flexible Packaging. Pharmaceutical Flexible Packaging. Cigarette Foil. Wine Label Foil. etc.
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3003
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O / H
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0.04-0.2
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100-1600
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C
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Container.
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3004
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O / H
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0.04-0.2
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100-1600
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C
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Container.
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8011
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O / H
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0.009-0.2
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100-1600
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C
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Household Foil. Food Foil. Chocolate Wrapping Foil. PTP Foil. Sealing Foil.
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8021
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O / H
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0.04-0.2
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100-1600
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C
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Blister Packaging.
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8079
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O / H
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0.006-0.2
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100-1600
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C
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Food Flexible Packaging. Pharmaceutical Flexible Packaging. Sealing Foil.
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Classification of Aluminum Foil:
1. By Thickness: Thick foil (0.1–0.2 mm, used for air conditioning foil, containers, industrial parts), single-zero foil (0.01–0.1 mm, used for food/pharmaceutical packaging, electronic shielding), double-zero foil (<0.01 mm, commonly 0.005–0.009 mm, used for high-end food/cigarette packaging, battery current collectors).
2. Classification by State: Rigid foil (unannealed, high strength, requires degreasing before processing), semi-rigid foil (medium hardness, suitable for shaping), soft foil (soft and clean after annealing, used for lamination/packaging/electrical applications).
3. Classification by Surface State: Single-sided glossy foil (double-sided rolled, one side glossy, one side matte, ≤0.025 mm), double-sided glossy foil (single-sheet rolled, both sides glossy, ≥0.01 mm).
4. Classification by Processing State: Plain foil (untreated, original color), embossed foil (textured surface), composite foil (laminated with paper/plastic), coated/colored/printed foil (used for decoration, labeling, and packaging).
5. Classification by Shape: Roll (mainstream in industry), Sheet (niche handmade packaging).
Applications of Aluminum Foil:
1. Food and Pharmaceutical Packaging (barrier against moisture, oxygen, and light; preserves aroma and freshness, such as soft packaging and aluminum-plastic blister packs);
2. Household and Daily Use (baking trays, wrapping, food preservation);
3. Building Insulation and Decoration (reflective heat insulation film, brushed/embossed decorative foil);
4. Electronics and Electrical (capacitors, cable shielding, lithium battery positive electrode current collectors—battery foil is mostly 10–20 μm thick 1XXX series alloys);
5. Industrial and Special Purposes (air conditioner fin foil, cigarette pack lining, tape substrate, composite material core layer).
Packaging accounts for over 50% of global aluminum foil consumption, while new energy battery foil is the fastest growing segment in recent years (mainstream 10–20 μm, with a trend towards 6–8 μm thinner). Note that “aluminum foil paper” usually refers to aluminum foil backing paper composite material, not pure aluminum foil; industrial “aluminum foil cloth” is aluminum foil composite with glass fiber and other substrates, possessing weather resistance and flame retardancy.
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Foil Application Reference
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Application
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Thickness (mm)
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Alloy-Temper
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Food Flexible Packaging Foil
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0.006-0.009
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1235/8079-O
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Pharmaceutical Flexible Packaging Foil
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0.006-0.03
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1235/8079-O
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Flexible Packaging Foil
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0.009-0.03
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8011-O
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Pharmaceutical Flexible Packaging Foil
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0.006-0.03
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1235-O
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Pharmaceutical Flexible PackagingFoil
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0.009-0.08
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8011-O
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Pharmaceutical PTP Foil
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0.009-0.03
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8011-H18
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Cold Forming Foil
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0.04-0.1
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8021-O
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Household Foil
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0.010-0.08
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8011-O
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Household Foil
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0.010-0.05
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1235-O
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Container Foil
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0.03-0.13
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3003-H24
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Container Foil
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0.04-0.13
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3004-H24
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Cigarette Foil
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0.006-0.007
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1235-O
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Foil For Laminating With Paper Board
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0.006-0.007
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1235-O
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Hot Seal And Lidding Foil
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0.02-0.06
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8011-O
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Hot Seal And Lidding Foil
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0.02-0.08
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8079-O
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Adhesive Tape Foil
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0.0065-0,012
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1235-O
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Adhesive Tape Foil
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0.01-0.05
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8011-O
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Capacitor Foil
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0.005-0.009
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1235-O
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Tetra Pack
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0.006-0.0066
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1235/8079-O
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Retort Pouch
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0.006-0.009
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1235/8079-O
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Toothpaste Tube Foil
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0.009-0.03
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8011-O
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Bottle Neck Wrapping Foil
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0.0065-0.011
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1235-O
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