Aluminum foil is aluminum made from thin metal foil. Foil is flexible and can be easily bent or wrapped around objects. Thin foil is fragile and is sometimes laminated with other materials such as plastic or paper to make it stronger and more useful.
Annual aluminum foil production in Europe was approximately 800,000 tons (880,000 tons) and in the United States was approximately 600,000 tons (660,000 tons) in 2003. Approximately 75% of aluminum foil is used for packaging of food, cosmetics and chemical products, and 25% is used in industrial applications (such as insulation, cables and electronics). It can be easily recycled.
Aluminum foil replaced tin foil in the mid-20th century. In the UK and US it is often informally referred to as "tinfoil", just as steel cans are often still referred to as "tin cans". Metalized film is sometimes mistaken for aluminum foil, but is actually a polymer film coated with a thin layer of aluminum.
Aluminum foil is widely sold to the consumer market, usually in rolls 500 mm (20 inches) wide and several meters long.
Aluminum foil is also used for grilling delicate foods.
Like all metal items, aluminum foil will react when placed in the microwave. This is because the electromagnetic field of the microwave induces a current in the foil and creates a high potential at the foil's sharp points; if the potential is high enough, an arc is created in areas of lower potential or even in the air surrounding the sheet. Modern microwave ovens are designed to prevent damage to the cavity magnetron from reflections of microwave energy, and can use aluminum encapsulation specifically designed for microwave heating.
