What Are Uses of Heavy Aluminum Foil

Heavy aluminum foil is still a thin sheet material made of aluminum and aluminum alloys through rolling. According to industry standards, aluminum foil is usually classified based on thickness: aluminum foil with a thickness of less than 0.1 mm is called "thin aluminum foil," widely used in food packaging, electronic component encapsulation, and other applications; while the heavy duty aluminum foil thickness is defined as between 0.1 mm and 0.2 mm.

This seemingly small thickness range fundamentally changes the physical properties of aluminum foil—it retains the advantages of aluminum's corrosion resistance and thermal and electrical conductivity while overcoming the shortcomings of thin aluminum foil, such as insufficient strength and susceptibility to deformation, thus adapting to more complex industrial needs.

Common alloys for heavy aluminum foil

The properties of heavy aluminum foil are not fixed but are precisely matched to the requirements of different applications by selecting different aluminum alloy formulations. Currently, the commonly used heavy aluminum foil alloys in industry are mainly divided into three categories, each with a clear application focus:

1. Pure aluminum alloys (1000 series): These alloys have an aluminum content of over 99% and contain almost no other impurity elements. Representative grades are 1060, 1070 and 1100 aluminum foil. Its greatest advantages are high purity and excellent corrosion resistance, along with good thermal conductivity and ductility, making it suitable for applications requiring high material purity, such as medical device components and the inner lining of high-temperature sterilization containers in the food industry.

2. Aluminum-Manganese Alloys (3000 Series): Typical examples include grade 3003. The addition of manganese enhances the material's strength and hardness while retaining good corrosion resistance, especially stable in humid environments or contact with acidic substances. Due to its outstanding cost-effectiveness, 3003 series heavy aluminum foil has become a versatile material in industrial applications, widely used in heat sinks, air conditioner evaporators, and protective layers for chemical equipment.

3. Aluminum-Magnesium Alloys (5000 Series): The addition of magnesium significantly increases the strength of these alloys (e.g., 5052), while also possessing excellent fatigue resistance and weldability. Suitable for applications requiring high pressure or frequent processing, such as automotive parts, marine interior components, and the base material for lithium battery casings.

Diverse Applications of heavy Aluminum Foil

1. HVAC & Refrigeration Industry

The heavy aluminum foil is a key heat transfer component in the evaporators and condensers of air conditioners, refrigerators, and heat pumps. Its excellent thermal conductivity rapidly transfers heat, while its 0.1-0.2 mm thickness ensures the fins are not easily deformed during processing and use, guaranteeing long-term stable operation. In particular, the 3003 series heavy aluminum foil, with its corrosion resistance, can withstand the humid environment inside air conditioners, extending equipment lifespan.

2. Automotive & Transportation Sector

The heavy aluminum foil is ubiquitous in both new energy vehicles and traditional fuel vehicles. It can be used in automotive radiator fins, interior trim, and as the positive electrode current collector in lithium batteries—the high strength and fatigue resistance of the 5000 series heavy aluminum foil meet the vibration and pressure requirements during vehicle operation, while its lightweight characteristics help reduce vehicle energy consumption.

3. Packaging & Container Industry

Unlike the "one-time sealing" of thin aluminum foil, heavy aluminum foil in the packaging field is more focused on "reusability" and "high-strength protection." For example, the inner lining of corrosive liquid packaging drums in the chemical industry, the inner liner of large aseptic storage tanks in the food industry, and the moisture-proof and rust-proof packaging in the military industry all rely on the corrosion resistance and sealing properties of heavy aluminum foil to prevent leakage or deterioration of the contents.

4. Electronics and New Energy Industries

Besides lithium batteries, heavy aluminum foil is also used in heat dissipation substrates for LED lamps and thermal pads for integrated circuits. In these applications, it not only needs to transfer heat to protect electronic components but also needs to possess a certain degree of insulation (through surface coating treatment) to prevent short circuits. This places higher demands on the processing precision of heavy aluminum foil.