The History of Aluminium Foil
This article explains the history of Aluminium foil from the first discovery of aluminium to the creation of aluminium foil and its mass production of today.
Aluminum is the most recently discovered metal that industries use in large amounts. Also known as "alumina" aluminum compounds were used to prepare medicines in Ancient Egypt and to set dyes for clothes during the dark/middle ages. In the early 1700's, scientists had suspected that a compound contained metal and in 1807 an English chemist named Sir Humphry Davy attempted to isolate the metal from the compounds. Although his attempts failed, Sir Humphry confirmed that alumina had a metallic base, which he then called "alumium." Sir Humphry later changed the name to "aluminum," although many Scientists in their respected countries spell the term "aluminium," but most Americans use Sir Humphry's revised spelling "aluminum." In 1825, a Danish chemist by the name Hans Christian Orsted successfully split aluminium from its source. Twenty years later in 1845, a German physicist named Friedrich Wohler was able to split apart enough aluminium from its source to create larger particles of aluminium however Friedrich Wohler's Aluminium particles were still only the size of pinheads. In 1854 Henri Sainte-Claire Deville, a brilliant minded French scientist, refined Wohler's method enough to create aluminum lumps as large as marbles improving the output of aluminium ten fold, Deville's process provided a way to produce larger amounts of aluminium. Once it was slightly modified again they where able to create aluminium bars which where first displayed in 1855 at the Paris Exposition. |
In 1866 two scientists from the United states and France joined together to develop what became known as the Hall-Héroult method, the method separated aluminium from oxygen by applying a strong electrical current. Hall-Héroult recognized in 1888 that the purification process was quite potentially, profitable. Hall and several other partners founded the Pittsburgh Reduction Company, which produced the first aluminum ingots that year in 1888. Using hydro-electricity to power a large new conversion plant, Hall was able to supply the growing industrial demand for aluminum, Hall renamed his company the Aluminum Company of America or Alcoa and in the year 1907 it began to thrive, increasing Halls wealth and power.
Encouraged by the increasing demand of aluminum during many other nations began to build their own aluminium factories. In the year 1903, France became the first country to produce foil from purified aluminum. The United States followed France's lead a decade later. The first use of Aluminium foil was used to identify racing pigeons by making bands out of aluminium foil then. Aluminum foil was soon used for containers and packaging. World War II helped to accelerate this trend, establishing aluminum foil as a major packaging material.
The advantages of having Aluminium foil over ordinary tin foil was huge! But it took seven years before aluminium foil replaced tin foil. In 1910, aluminium foil finally replaced tin foil. It quickly became a preferred item for wrapping things as it left no foul odour or after-taste. Aluminium foil began to be used for everything, it covered chocolates, and sandwiches contained preserved foods and was perfect for putting in ovens as it retained heat wouldn't burst into flame at cooking temperature. Big brands began to take interest, Toblerone was the first brand to have their chocolate covered in aluminium foil followed by life savers. Aluminium had become so popular it had begun to take care of itself (what this is referring to is when you push something up a cliff for a long time it will get to a point where you don't have to push it anymore and all you have to do is monitor it as it falls) allowing the business to kept spiraling upwards. Although this item was invented a century ago a majority of people still have at least one roll of aluminium foil in their homes whether it's used for cooking, art or experiments most people will own one.
Encouraged by the increasing demand of aluminum during many other nations began to build their own aluminium factories. In the year 1903, France became the first country to produce foil from purified aluminum. The United States followed France's lead a decade later. The first use of Aluminium foil was used to identify racing pigeons by making bands out of aluminium foil then. Aluminum foil was soon used for containers and packaging. World War II helped to accelerate this trend, establishing aluminum foil as a major packaging material.
The advantages of having Aluminium foil over ordinary tin foil was huge! But it took seven years before aluminium foil replaced tin foil. In 1910, aluminium foil finally replaced tin foil. It quickly became a preferred item for wrapping things as it left no foul odour or after-taste. Aluminium foil began to be used for everything, it covered chocolates, and sandwiches contained preserved foods and was perfect for putting in ovens as it retained heat wouldn't burst into flame at cooking temperature. Big brands began to take interest, Toblerone was the first brand to have their chocolate covered in aluminium foil followed by life savers. Aluminium had become so popular it had begun to take care of itself (what this is referring to is when you push something up a cliff for a long time it will get to a point where you don't have to push it anymore and all you have to do is monitor it as it falls) allowing the business to kept spiraling upwards. Although this item was invented a century ago a majority of people still have at least one roll of aluminium foil in their homes whether it's used for cooking, art or experiments most people will own one.
Page created by Faith.W on the 14th of May 2015