Year of invention of foil. The Great Packaging Revolution

Aluminum is the most common metal on Earth. It has high thermal and electrical conductivity. In alloys, aluminum achieves strength that is almost equal to steel. Light metal is readily used in the aircraft and automotive industries. Thin sheets of aluminum, on the contrary, are excellent due to their softness; for packaging - and have been used in this capacity since 1947.

Mining difficulties

The element aluminum occurs in nature in a chemically bound form. In 1827, the German physicist Friedrich Wöhler managed to obtain significant quantities of pure aluminum. The release process was so complex that at first the metal remained an expensive rarity. In 1886, the American Charles Hall and the Frenchman Paul Héroux independently invented an electrolytic method for the reduction of aluminum. The Austrian engineer Karl Joseph Bayer, who worked in Russia, managed in 1889 to significantly reduce the cost of a new method of metal mining.

To invention - in a roundabout way

The path to aluminum foil was through the tobacco industry. At the beginning of the 20th century. Cigarettes were also packaged in sheet tin to protect them from moisture. Richard Reynolds, who at that time went to work for his uncle's tobacco company, quickly realized that the foil market had a great future, and founded his own company, supplying packaging for tobacco and chocolate manufacturers. The fall in aluminum prices drew Reynolds' attention to light metal. In 1947, he managed to produce a film with a thickness of 0.0175 mm. The new foil had no toxic properties and reliably protected products from moisture, light or foreign odors.

• 17th century: staniol, a thin sheet of tin, used for the production of mirrors.
• 1861: began industrial production grease and moisture resistant parchment paper.
• 1908: Jacques Edwin Brandenberger invented cellophane, a transparent cellulose film.

The word “foil” came into the Russian language from Polish, where it came directly from Latin in transit through German. In Latin, folium means leaf. Only foil is a very thin sheet.

If the thickness of “real” aluminum sheets starts from 0.3 mm (GOST 21631-76 Sheets of aluminum and aluminum alloys), then for foil, long before this point on the number line, the series of thicknesses already ends.

The thickness of aluminum foil ranges from several thousandths to several tenths of a millimeter. For packaging foil - from 0.006 to 0.200 mm. It is allowed to produce a more “thorough” range with a thickness of 0.200-0.240 mm.

Almost the same range of thickness values ​​- from 0.007 to 0.200 mm - is established by regulatory and technical documents for technical aluminum foil. For aluminum foil for capacitors it is slightly smaller - from 0.005 to 0.150 mm.

Another important geometric parameter is width. Technical aluminum foil is produced in widths from 15 to 1500 mm. For packaging foil, the minimum width is 10 mm.

From the history of aluminum foil

Initially, aluminum foil was perceived as a replacement for tin. Its first industrial production was organized in 1911 in Kreuzlingen in Switzerland. Just a year after Robert Victor Neher received a patent for its manufacturing technology.

In 1911, bars of the famous Swiss chocolate began to be wrapped in aluminum foil, and a year later - Maggi bouillon cubes, which are still well known today.

In the 20s of the 20th century, dairy product manufacturers became interested in aluminum foil. And already in the mid-thirties, millions of European housewives used foil rolls in their kitchens. In the 1950-1960s, the production of aluminum foil increased several times. It is largely thanks to this that the ready-to-eat food market is gaining such impressive proportions. In the same years, laminate, well known to everyone for milk and juice bags, appeared - a symbiosis of paper and aluminum foil.

In parallel with packaging foil, technical aluminum foil has become widespread. It is increasingly used in construction, mechanical engineering, in the manufacture of climate control equipment, etc.

Since the early sixties, aluminum foil has been sent into space - satellites “wrapped” in aluminum foil are used to reflect radio signals and study charged particles emitted by the Sun.

Standards

In Russia, the production of aluminum foil and products based on it is regulated by a fairly large number of regulatory and technical documents.

GOST 745-2003 Aluminum foil for packaging. The specifications apply to cold-rolled aluminum foil intended for packaging food products, medicines, medical products, cosmetics products, as well as for the production of packaging materials based on aluminum foil.

GOST 618-73 Aluminum foil for technical purposes. The technical specifications are intended for manufacturers of aluminum roll foil used for thermal, hydro and sound insulation.

The production of aluminum roll foil for the manufacture of capacitors is regulated by GOST 25905-83 Aluminum foil for capacitors. Technical conditions.

In addition, aluminum foil is produced in accordance with technical specifications: TU 1811-001-42546411-2004 Aluminum foil for radiators, TU 1811-002-45094918-97 Flexible packaging in rolls based on aluminum foil for medicines, TU 1811-007-46221433-98 Combined multilayer material based on foil, TU 1811-005-53974937-2004 Aluminum foil for household use in rolls and a number of others.

Aluminum foil production technology

The production of aluminum foil is a rather complex technological process.

Aluminum ingots are fed to a hot rolling mill, where they are rolled several times between rolls at a temperature of about 500 °C to a thickness of 2-4 mm. Then the resulting semi-finished product goes to the cold rolling mill, where it acquires the required thickness.

The second method is continuous casting of metal. A cast billet is made from molten aluminum in a continuous casting plant. Then the resulting coils are rolled on a blanking mill, while simultaneously subjecting them to intermediate high-temperature annealing. In a foil rolling mill, the semi-finished product is rolled to the required thickness. The finished foil is cut into rolls of the required width.

If solid foil is produced, then immediately after cutting it goes to packaging. If the foil is required in a soft state, final annealing is necessary.

What is aluminum foil made of?

If previously aluminum foil was produced mainly from pure aluminum, now alloys are increasingly used. Adding alloying elements allows you to improve the quality of the foil and make it more functional.

Foil for packaging is made from aluminum and aluminum alloys of several grades. These are primary aluminum (A6, A5, A0) and technical aluminum (AD, AD0, AD1, 1145, 1050). Alloys AZh0.6, AZh0.8 and AZh1 contain iron as the main element, in addition to aluminum. The number after the letters shows its share as a percentage, respectively, 0.40-050, 0.60-0.80, 0.95-1.15%. And in alloys 8011, 8011A, 8111, from 0.3 to 1.1% silicon is added to aluminum and iron.

By agreement between the manufacturer and the consumer, it is possible to use other aluminum alloys approved by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.

Aluminum foil for food should not emit harmful substances in quantities exceeding the established ones. Aluminum over 0.500 mg/l, copper and zinc - over 1,000 mg/l, iron - 0.300 mg/l, manganese, titanium and vanadium - over 0.100 mg/l. It should not have any odor that affects the quality of the packaged products.

Technical foil is made from aluminum and aluminum alloys of the AD1, AD0, AD, AMts, A7, A6, A5 and A0 grades. Foil for capacitors is made of aluminum grades A99, A6, A5 and its alloys - AD0 and AD1.

Surface of aluminum foil

Based on the surface condition, a distinction is made between smooth aluminum foil (symbol FG), foil for finishing and foil with finishing.

The finishing is formed by layers of printing, primers, varnishes, paper (laminated), polymer films (lamination), adhesives and embossing (hot and cold, flat and embossed).

In GOST 745-2003, foil is divided into several types based on the condition of the treated surface. Painted with colored varnishes or paints is designated “FO”, varnished on one side – “FL”, on both sides – “FLL”, coated with thermovarnish – “FTL”. The presence of a seal is indicated by the letters “FP” (“FPL” - printing on the front side and varnish on the back. If on reverse side Thermal varnish was applied, they write “FPTL”). The presence of primer for printing on the front side and thermovarnish on the back is indicated by a combination of the letters “FLTL”.

The thickness of the foil is indicated without taking into account the thickness of the paint coating applied to it.

Laminated aluminum foil expands packaging finishing options. Aluminum foil laminated with polymer films is used for aromatic products and products that require protection from moisture.

And a few more words about symbols

In addition to information about the surface of aluminum foil in its symbol From left to right, the following data is “encrypted”:

• manufacturing method (for example, cold-deformed foil is designated by the letter “D”);
• section shape (for example, “PR” - rectangular);
• manufacturing accuracy - depending on the maximum deviation in thickness, aluminum foil for packaging is manufactured with normal (indicated by the letter “N”), increased (P) and high (H) accuracy;
• condition - soft (M) or hard (T);
• dimensions;
• length – unmeasured length is indicated by the letters “ND”;
• brand;
• designation of the standard.

An “X” is placed in place of missing data.

Aluminum foil is the ideal packaging...

Due to its “content” (aluminum and its alloys) and shape (geometric dimensions), aluminum foil has a unique combination of properties.

Bright and shiny aluminum foil packaging is sure to attract the attention of consumers. And the brand of its content will become recognizable, which is extremely important for successful marketing.

The most important advantage of aluminum foil as packaging is its impermeability, the ability to serve as a reliable barrier to the negative influences to which the packaged product is exposed. external environment and time. It protects against exposure to gases, light, and does not allow moisture and bacteria to pass through. It will not only protect you from foreign odors, but will also prevent you from losing your own aroma.

Aluminum foil is an environmentally friendly material. Fundamentally important in modern conditions the possibility of its 100% recycling. And foil that did not end up in the recycling “circuit” is for a short time without harmful consequences, it will completely dissolve in the environment.

Aluminum foil is resistant to high temperatures, does not melt or deform when heated, which allows it to be used for cooking and freezing foods.

It is non-toxic and does not affect the taste of food. During the production process (during final annealing) it becomes practically sterile, preventing the formation of an environment for the growth of bacteria.

And also aluminum foil - durable, technologically advanced, easy to accept various shapes, corrosion-resistant, perfectly compatible with other materials.

...and an important economic factor

Today, the importance of long-term food storage and packaging that provides this opportunity is growing. This is the only way to increase mobility food production and take full advantage of the division of labor.

Aluminum foil not only preserves food quality and nutritional value. It preserves the food itself, and therefore the enormous resources that were spent on its production.

Aluminum foil, milk and other drinks

Milk is a capricious, perishable product, and aluminum foil is especially appropriate in this case. It will keep cheese and butter fresh longer.

Milk and products made from it have long been “friendly” with aluminum. Suffice it to recall the multi-liter aluminum cans in which milk is transported, or the multi-colored aluminum caps on milk bottles that occupied the shelves of grocery stores several decades ago.

Isn’t a man licking an aluminum yogurt lid a symbol of the era, just as processed cheese in a package made of aluminum foil is a symbol of a bygone time? If we continue the theme of the symbolic, then the hissing of an aluminum can being opened, anticipating the pleasure of quenching thirst, is certainly one of the brightest strokes of the sound palette of our time.

By the way, aluminum can be used to cover not only milk, but also more “serious”, although not so healthy drinks. Aluminum screw plugs are used for glass bottles with alcohol-containing liquids.

Aluminum foil or how to cheat time

Aluminum foil is an ideal packaging for storing dehydrated foods, allowing them to retain their structure for a long time. The most obvious examples are instant coffee and milk powder.

Driven by the increasing pace of life, the rapid development of the market for ready-to-eat and highly prepared semi-finished products has become possible thanks to aluminum foil. Foil containers have gained enormous popularity; they can be placed in the microwave along with the contents and in a matter of seconds “cook” a delicious lunch.

A quarter of a century ago, ready-made frozen main courses in thick foil began to be sold in large Russian cities. Aluminum containers are ideal packaging for long-term storage and preparation of ready-made meals in the oven and microwave. They do not need to be washed and can be thrown away immediately after eating.

Aluminum foil in home cooking

No less than those who most value the ability to cook food quickly, aluminum foil is in demand by gourmets who know many recipes for cooking using it.

Such food is distinguished not only by its high taste (dishes cooked in foil will retain their juiciness and will not burn), but also by the benefits associated with the absence of the need to add fat, i.e., full compliance with the principles of a healthy diet.

The undoubted advantage of aluminum foil is its hygiene, which is especially important when packaging such extremely hygienic products as meat, poultry and fish.

The importance of foil in the home kitchen has increased even more with the widespread use of microwave ovens.

Aluminum foil: for people and our little brothers

The use of aluminum foil for food packaging began with chocolate. It also helps preserve more “democratic” confectionery products. Lollipops in sealed aluminum packaging are reliably protected from external influences. Aluminum foil is used to package cocoa powder and, more popularly, freshly ground coffee.

Aluminum foil in the packaging of confectionery products not only helps preserve their quality, but also makes it more festive appearance.

Pets, whose food is also packaged in aluminum foil packaging, are unlikely to appreciate its aesthetic merits, but the high taste qualities of the food stored in it will undoubtedly not be ignored.

Aluminum foil in the pharmaceutical industry

Hygienic and safe, aluminum foil is often the optimal choice for pharmaceutical packaging, ensuring long-term transportation and storage.

It is used for the production of blister packaging (cases made in the shape of the product being packaged); flexible tubes; bags for powders, granules, liquids and ointments.

Easily bonding to paper and plastic, aluminum foil is used to produce combined packaging that fully complies with all hygienic requirements. And this is extremely important for its use in the production of cosmetics and personal care products.

Technical aluminum foil

Aluminum foil is light weight, thermal conductivity, manufacturability, resistance to dirt and dust, the ability to reflect light, and decorative properties. All these qualities predetermine a wide range of applications for technical aluminum foil.

In the electrical industry, electrical cable shields are made from it. In the automotive industry they are used in engine cooling systems and for finishing car interiors. The latter is not only beautiful and almost weightless, but also contributes to greater passenger safety, because the foil improves sound insulation and prevents the spread of fire. It is also used as a fire barrier in other types of transport.

Foil is used in the manufacture of heat exchangers in heating and air conditioning systems. It helps to increase the energy efficiency of heating devices (radiators). Aluminum foil has become widespread in refrigeration technology.

It can be found outside and inside buildings, including engineering systems. Aluminum foil for a bath, reducing heat exchange with environment, allows you to heat the room faster and retain heat longer.

Aluminum foil can serve as a stand-alone reflective insulator and complement other thermal insulation materials. Mineral wool cylinders, laminated with aluminum foil, are used for thermal insulation of process pipelines in various industries and the construction complex.

Self-adhesive aluminum foil is used for sealing flexible structures (for example, thermal insulation of air ducts).

With modern technologies, aluminum foil is tasked with separating environments, protecting, insulating. In general, serve as a reliable barrier. And this despite the fact that its thickness is comparable to the thickness of a human hair. As you know, it averages 0.04-0.1 mm, while the thickness of the foil starts at 0.005 mm.

But the capabilities of aluminum are so great that even with such a modest size it is possible to achieve the required results. Therefore, aluminum foil, which celebrated its centenary anniversary, “peace” is not in danger.

Aluminum is the most common metal on Earth. It has high thermal and electrical conductivity. In alloys, aluminum achieves strength that is almost equal to steel. Light metal is readily used in the aircraft and automotive industries. Thin sheets of aluminum, on the contrary, are excellent due to their softness; for packaging - and have been used in this capacity since 1947.

Mining difficulties

The element aluminum occurs in nature in a chemically bound form. In 1827, the German physicist Friedrich Wöhler managed to obtain significant quantities of pure aluminum. The release process was so complex that at first the metal remained an expensive rarity. In 1886, the American Charles Hall and the Frenchman Paul Héroux independently invented an electrolytic method for the reduction of aluminum. The Austrian engineer Karl Joseph Bayer, who worked in Russia, managed in 1889 to significantly reduce the cost of a new method of metal mining.

To invention - in a roundabout way

The path to aluminum foil was through the tobacco industry. At the beginning of the 20th century. Cigarettes were also packaged in sheet tin to protect them from moisture. Richard Reynolds, who at that time went to work for his uncle's tobacco company, quickly realized that the foil market had a great future, and founded his own company that supplied packaging for tobacco and chocolate manufacturers. The fall in price of aluminum turned Reynolds' attention to the lightweight metal. In 1947, he managed to produce a film with a thickness of 0.0175 mm. The new foil had no toxic properties and reliably protected products from moisture, light or foreign odors.

17th century: staniol, a thin sheet of tin, used for the production of mirrors.

1861: Commercial production of grease and moisture resistant parchment paper began.

1908: Jacques Edwin Brandenberger invented cellophane, a transparent cellulose film.

The present invention relates to a method for producing electrodeposited copper foil onto which thin patterns can be applied, in particular electrodeposited foil for which a high etch rate can be achieved and which can be used in copper-clad laminate circuit boards, printed circuit boards and secondary electrochemical cells including such foil. In addition, the present invention is intended to produce untreated copper foil, both sides of which have flatter surfaces compared to ordinary copper foil, whereby it can be used as flat cables or wires, as a cable covering material, as a shielding material. material, etc. However, the electrodeposited copper foil made in accordance with the present invention is not limited to these applications. Electrodeposited copper foil for printed circuits is manufactured industrially by filling the gap between an insoluble electrode, such as a lead electrode or a platinum group metal coated titanium electrode, and a rotating drum cathode made of stainless steel or titanium facing the insoluble electrode, the electrolyte, containing an aqueous solution of copper sulfate and passing an electric current between these electrodes, as a result of which copper is deposited on a rotating drum cathode; the deposited copper is then continuously stripped from the drum and wound onto the storage drum. Typically when used as an electrolyte aqueous solution containing only copper ions and sulfate ions, pinholes and/or microporosities are formed in copper foil due to the inevitable admixture of dust and/or oil from the equipment, leading to serious defects when practical use foil. In addition, the profile shape (ridge/valley) of the surface of the copper foil that is in contact with the electrolyte (matte side) is deformed, resulting in insufficient adhesive strength when the copper foil is subsequently bonded to the insulating substrate material. If the roughness of this matte side is significant, the insulation resistance between layers and/or the circuit conductivity of the multilayer printed circuit board is reduced, or when etching of figures is carried out after bonding with the substrate material, copper may remain on the substrate material or etching of circuit elements may occur; each of these phenomena has harmful effects on various aspects of PCB operation. To prevent the occurrence of defects such as pinholes or through-pores, chloride ions, for example, can be added to the electrolyte, and dust can be removed by passing the electrolyte through a filter containing active carbon or the like. In addition, to regulate the shape of the profile (protrusions/recesses) of the matte side and prevent the occurrence of microporosities over a long period of time, in practice it has been proposed to add glue and various organic and inorganic additives to the electrolyte separately from the glue. The process of making electrodeposited copper foil for use in printed circuit boards is essentially an electrodeposition technology, as can be seen from the fact that it involves placing electrodes in a solution containing copper salt, passing an electric current between the electrodes, and depositing copper on the cathode; therefore, additives used in copper electroplating can often be used as additives in the process of making electrodeposited copper foil for use in printed circuit boards. Glue, thiourea and blackstrap molasses, etc. have long been known as brightening additives in the electrolytic deposition of copper. Therefore, they can be expected to have a so-called chemical gloss effect, or an effect in which the roughness of the matte side of electrodeposited foil for use in printed circuit boards is reduced when these additives are used in the electrolyte. US Pat. No. 5,171,417 describes a method for making copper foil using a compound containing active sulfur, such as thiourea, as an additive. However, in this situation, without modification of the described method, it is not possible to obtain satisfactory performance when using these electrodeposition additives as additives in the manufacture of electrodeposited copper foil for printed circuit boards. This is due to the fact that electrodeposited copper foil for printed circuit boards is produced at higher current densities than the current densities used in conventional electroplating technology. This is necessary to increase productivity. Recently, there has been an extraordinary increase in the demand for electrodeposited foil for printed circuit boards with reduced matte side roughness without compromising mechanical properties, in particular elongation. Moreover, due to the incredible development of electronic circuit technology, including semiconductors and integrated circuits, last years there was a need for further technical revolutions regarding the printed circuit boards on which these elements are formed or mounted. This applies, for example, to the very large number of layers in multilayer printed circuit boards and to increasingly precise copying. Performance requirements for electrodeposited foil for printed circuit boards include improved interlayer and inter-pattern insulation, lower profile (lower roughness) of the matte side to prevent etching, and improved high temperature elongation performance to prevent cracking due to thermal stresses and, in addition, to high tensile stress to ensure dimensional stability of the printed circuit board. The requirement to further reduce the profile (height) to enable more accurate copying is particularly stringent. A reduction (height) of the matte side profile can be achieved by adding large quantities of glue and/or thiourea to the electrolyte, as for example described above, but on the other hand, as the amount of these additives increases, there is a sharp decrease in the elongation factor at room temperature and the elongation factor at high temperature. In contrast, although copper foil produced from an electrolyte to which no additives have been added has exceptionally high elongation at room temperature and elongation at high temperature, the shape of the matte side is destroyed and its roughness increases, making it impossible to maintain high tensile strength ; In addition, it is very difficult to produce foil in which these characteristics are stable. If electrolysis is maintained at low current density, the roughness of the matte side is lower than that of the matte side of electrodeposited foil produced at high current density, and elongation and tensile strength are also improved, but an economically undesirable reduction in productivity occurs. Consequently, it is quite difficult to achieve the additional profile reduction with good room temperature elongation and high temperature elongation recently required from electrodeposited copper foil for printed circuit boards. The main reason why more accurate copying could not be achieved with conventional electrodeposited copper foil was that the surface roughness was too obvious. Typically, electrodeposition copper foil can be produced by first using the copper foil electroplating cell shown in FIG. 1, and subsequent use of the one shown in FIG. 2 devices for the electrolytic treatment of copper foil obtained by electrodeposition, in which the latter is subjected to adhesion and anti-corrosion treatment. In an electrolytic cell for galvanoplastic production of copper foil, an electrolyte 3 is passed through a device containing a stationary anode 1 (a lead or titanium electrode coated with a noble metal oxide) and a rotating drum cathode 2 located opposite it (the surface of which is made of stainless steel or titanium), and An electric current is passed between both electrodes to deposit a layer of copper of a required thickness on the surface of said cathode, and then the copper foil is peeled off from the surface of said cathode. The foil thus obtained is usually called raw copper foil. In a subsequent step, to obtain the characteristics required for copper-clad laminates, the raw copper foil 4 is continuously subjected to electrochemical or chemical surface treatment by passing it through the electrolytic treatment apparatus shown in FIG. 2. This treatment includes a step of deposition of copper tubercles to enhance adhesion when layered onto the insulating resin substrate. This stage is called "adhesion treatment". Copper foil after it has been subjected to these surface treatments is called "treated copper foil" and can be used in copper-clad laminate circuit boards. Mechanical properties electrodeposited copper foil is determined by the properties of the raw copper foil 4, and the etching characteristics, in particular the etch rate and uniform dissolution, are also largely determined by the properties of the raw copper foil. A factor that has a huge influence on the etching behavior of copper foil is its surface roughness. The roughening effect produced by the adhesion treatment on the face that is layered onto the insulating resin backing is quite significant. Factors affecting the roughness of copper foil can be broadly divided into two categories. One is the surface roughness of the untreated copper foil, and the other is the manner in which copper tubercles are deposited on the surface being treated to enhance adhesion. If the surface roughness of the original foil, i.e. untreated foil is high, the roughness of copper foil after adhesion treatment becomes high. In general, if the number of deposited copper tubercles is large, the roughness of the copper foil after adhesion treatment becomes high. The number of copper tubercles deposited during the adhesion treatment can be controlled by the current flowing during the treatment, but the surface roughness of the untreated copper foil is largely determined by the electrolysis conditions under which the copper is deposited on the cathode drum, as described above, in particular , due to additives added to the electrolyte. Typically, the front surface of the untreated foil that contacts the drum, the so-called "shiny side", is relatively smooth, and the other side, called the "matte side", has an uneven surface. Various attempts have been made in the past to make the matte side appear smoother. One example of such attempts is the method of making electrodeposited copper foil described in US Pat. No. 5,171,417 mentioned above, which uses a compound containing active sulfur, such as thiourea, as an additive. However, although this makes the rough surface smoother than with a conventional additive such as glue, it is still rough compared to the shiny side, so full effectiveness is not achieved. In addition, due to the relatively smooth surface of the shiny side, attempts have been made to layer the shiny surface onto a resin substrate by depositing copper tubercles thereon, as described in Japanese Patent No. 94/270331. However, in this case, to allow the copper foil to be etched, it is necessary to layer photosensitive dry film and/or resist on the side that is usually the matte side; The disadvantage of this method is that the unevenness of this surface reduces the adhesion to the copper foil, causing the layers to become easily separated. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the known methods. The invention provides a method for producing copper foil having a high etching rate without reducing its peel resistance, as a result of which it can be ensured that a thin pattern can be applied without leaving copper particles in the depression areas of the installation pattern, and having a high elongation at high temperature and high resistance rupture. Typically, the copy accuracy criterion can be expressed in terms of the etching index (= 2T/(W b - W t)), shown in Fig. 3, where B denotes the insulation board, W t is the upper cross-sectional width of the copper foil, W b is the thickness of the copper foil. Higher etch index values ​​correspond to a more pointed cross-sectional shape of the circuit. According to the invention, a method for producing copper foil by electrolysis using an electrolyte containing 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate and a chloride ion is characterized in that the electrolyte additionally contains a high molecular weight polysaccharide. It is advisable to additionally introduce into the electrolyte a low molecular weight adhesive whose average molecular weight is 10,000 or less, as well as sodium 3-mercapto-4-propanesulfonate. The invention also relates to electrodeposited copper foil obtained by the above method, wherein its matte side may have a surface roughness R z preferably equal to or less than the surface roughness of its shiny side, and its surface may be treated to enhance adhesion, in particular , electrodeposition. Surface roughness z is the roughness value measured at 10 points in accordance with the requirements of JIS B 0601-1994 "Indication of definition of surface roughness" 5.1. This copper foil can be produced by electrolysis using an electrolyte to which is added a chemical compound having at least one mercapto group and, in addition, at least one type of organic compound and a chloride ion. In addition, the invention relates to a copper-clad laminate board containing the above-described electrodeposited copper foil obtained by the method according to the present invention. The invention also relates to a printed circuit board containing an electrodeposited copper foil obtained from an electrolyte containing 3-marcapto-1-propanesulfonate, a chloride ion and a high molecular weight polysaccharide, and its matte side may have a surface roughness Rz, preferably equal to or less than the surface roughness the roughness of its shiny side, and to enhance adhesion, its surface can be treated, in particular by electrodeposition. Finally, the invention also relates to a battery cell including an electrode containing electrodeposited copper foil according to the invention. The main additive to the electrolyte used in the method according to the invention is 3-mercapto-1-propane sulfonate. An example of 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonates is the compound HS(CH 2) 3 SO 3 Na, etc. By itself, this compound is not particularly effective at reducing the size of copper crystals, but when used in combination with another organic compound, smaller copper crystals can be produced, resulting in a low surface roughness of the electrolytic deposit. The detailed mechanism of this phenomenon has not been established, but it is believed that these molecules may reduce the size of copper crystals by reacting with copper ions in the copper sulfate electrolyte to form a complex, or by acting on the interfacial interface in electrolytic deposition to increase the overvoltage, allowing the formation of a precipitate with slight surface roughness. It should be noted that the patent DT-C-4126502 describes the use of 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate in an electrolyte bath to deposit copper coatings on various objects, such as ornamental parts to give them a shiny appearance or on printed circuit boards to reinforce their conductors. However, this famous patent does not describe the use of polysaccharides in combination with 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate to produce copper foil with high etch rate, high tensile strength and high elongation at high temperature. According to the present invention, the compounds used in combination with the mercapto group-containing compound are high molecular weight polysaccharides. High molecular weight polysaccharides are hydrocarbons such as starch, cellulose, gum, etc., which usually form colloids in water. Examples of such high molecular weight polysaccharides that can be produced inexpensively industrially are starches, such as food starch, industrial starch or dextrin, and cellulose, such as water-soluble cellulose, or those described in Japanese Patent No. 90/182890, i.e. sodium carboxymethylcellulose or carboxymethyloxyethylcellulose ether. Examples of gums are gum arabic or tragacanth. These organic compounds reduce the size of copper crystals when used in combination with 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate, allowing the surface of the electrolytic deposit to be produced with or without irregularities. However, in addition to reducing the crystal size, these organic compounds prevent embrittlement of the manufactured copper foil. These organic compounds inhibit the accumulation internal stresses in copper foil, as a result of which the foil is prevented from tearing or curling when stripped from the drum cathode; In addition, they improve elongation at room temperature and at high temperature. Another type of organic compound that can be used in combination with the mercapto group-containing compound and the high molecular weight polysaccharide in the present invention is a low molecular weight adhesive. Low-molecular-weight adhesive refers to adhesive obtained in the usual way, in which the molecular weight is reduced by splitting gelatin with an enzyme, acid or alkali. Examples of commercially available adhesives are "PBF", manufactured in Japan by Nippi Gelatine Inc., or "PCRA", manufactured in the USA by Peter-Cooper Inc. Their molecular weights are less than 10,000 and they are characterized by extremely low resistance to gelation due to their low molecular weight. Conventional adhesive has the effect of preventing microporosity and/or controlling the roughness of the matte side and improving its appearance, but it has a detrimental effect on elongation. However, it has been found that if low molecular weight gelatin is used instead of conventional adhesive or commercially available gelatin, microporosity can be prevented and/or the roughness of the matte side can be suppressed and at the same time improved in appearance without significantly degrading the elongation properties. In addition, by simultaneously adding a high molecular weight polysaccharide and a low molecular weight adhesive to 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate, high temperature elongation is improved and microporosity is prevented, and a cleaner, more uniformly uneven surface can be obtained than when they are used independently of each other. Additionally, in addition to the above additives, chloride ions may be added to the electrolyte. If the electrolyte contains no chloride ions at all, it is impossible to obtain copper foil with a rough surface profile reduced to the desired degree. Adding them at a concentration of a few parts per million is useful, but in order to consistently produce low-profile copper foil over a wide range of current densities, it is desirable to maintain their concentration between 10 and 60 ppm. A reduction in the profile is also achieved when the added amount exceeds 60 ppm, but no increase in the beneficial effect was observed with an increase in the added amount of chloride ions; on the contrary, when excess chloride ions were added, dendritic electrodeposition occurred, reducing the ultimate current density, which is undesirable. As described above, through the combined electrolyte additive of 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate, high molecular weight polysaccharide and/or low molecular weight adhesive and traces of chloride ions, various higher characteristics that low profile copper foil must have to achieve accurate copying can be achieved. In addition, since the surface roughness Rz of the matte side surface of the untreated copper foil according to the invention is of the same order of magnitude or less than the surface roughness Rz of the shiny side of this untreated foil, the surface-treated copper foil after undergoing the matte side surface adhesion enhancement treatment has more lower profile than the surface profile of conventional foil, this can result in a foil with high etch rates. The invention is described in more detail below with reference to examples, which, however, do not limit the scope of the present invention. Examples 1, 3 and 4
(1) Making foil
The electrolyte, the composition of which is given in Table 1 (copper sulfate-sulfuric acid solution before additives are added), was purified by passing it through an active carbon filter. The electrolyte for making the foil was then prepared by appropriately adding sodium 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate, a high molecular weight polysaccharide consisting of hydroxyethyl cellulose and low molecular weight adhesive (molecular weight 3,000) and chloride ions at the concentrations shown in Table 1. Chloride ion concentrations in all cases were 30 ppm, but the present invention is not limited to this concentration. Then, raw copper foil with a thickness of 18 μm was obtained by electrodeposition under the electrolysis conditions specified in Table 1, using a titanium electrode coated with a noble metal oxide as the anode and a rotating titanium drum as the cathode, and the electrolyte prepared as described above as the electrolyte. (2) Evaluation of the roughness of the matte side and its mechanical characteristics
The surface roughnesses R z and R a of each version of the untreated copper foil obtained in (1) were measured using a surface roughness meter (SE-3C type, manufactured by KOSAKA KENKYUJO). (The surface roughnesses R z and R a correspond to R z and R a determined in accordance with JIS B 0601-1994 "Definition and indication of surface roughness". The standard length 1 was 2.5 mm in case of matte side surface measurements and 0. 8 mm in case of surface measurements on the shiny side). Accordingly, the elongation at normal temperature in the longitudinal direction (of the machine) and after holding for 5 minutes at a temperature of 180 o and the tensile strength at each temperature were measured using a tensile testing apparatus (type 1122, manufactured by Instron Co., England). The results are shown in Table 2. Comparative Examples 1, 2 and 4
Surface roughness and mechanical characteristics copper foil obtained by electrodeposition in the same manner as in Examples 1, 3 and 4, except for the fact that the electrolysis was carried out under the electrolysis conditions and electrolyte composition specified in Table 1. The results are shown in Table 2. In the case of Example 1, in which sodium 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate and hydroxyethylcellulose were added, the roughness of the matte side was very small and the elongation at high temperature was excellent. In the case of Examples 3 and 4, in which sodium 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate and hydroxyethylcellulose were added, the roughness of the matte side was even less than that achieved in Example 1. In contrast, in the case of Comparative Example 1, in which thiourea and general adhesive were added , although the roughness of the matte side was less than that of the known untreated foil, it was rougher than the roughness of the matte side of the raw foil of the present invention; therefore, only untreated copper foil was obtained, the roughness of the dull side being greater than the roughness of the shiny side. In addition, in the case of this untreated foil, the elongation at high temperature was lower. In the case of Comparative Examples 2 and 4, the performance characteristics of the raw copper foil obtained by electrodeposition using a conventional adhesive for each sodium 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate and a conventional adhesive, respectively, are given for reference as examples of known copper foils. An adhesion enhancement treatment was then carried out on the untreated copper foil of Examples 1, 3 and 4 and Comparative Examples 1, 2 and 4. The same adhesion enhancement treatment was carried out on the shiny side of the untreated foil of Comparative Example 2. The bath composition and treatment conditions were as follows. After adhesion treatment, surface-treated copper foil was obtained by performing an additional anti-corrosion treatment step. The surface roughness of the copper foil was measured using a surface roughness meter (type SE-3C from KOSAKA KENKYUJO, Japan). The results are shown in Table 3. Table 3 for Examples 1, 3 and 4 and Comparative Examples 1, 2 and 4 shows the results obtained by performing the adhesion treatment on the matte side of the untreated foil of Examples 1, 3 and 4 and Comparative Examples 1 , 2 and 4 in Table 2, respectively; For Comparative Example 3, the results obtained by performing adhesion enhancement treatment on the shiny side of the untreated copper foil of Comparative Example 2 are shown in Table 2. 1. Conditions for electrolytic deposition of the first copper layer
Bath composition: metallic copper 20 g/l, sulfuric acid 100 g/l;
Bath temperature: 25 o C;
Current density: 30 A/dm 2 ;
Processing time: 10 seconds;
2. Conditions for electrolytic deposition of the second layer of copper
Bath composition: metallic copper 60 g/l, sulfuric acid 100 g/l;
Bath temperature: 60 o C;
Current density: 15 A/dm 2 ;
Processing time: 10 seconds. The copper-clad laminate board was produced by heat pressing (warm pressing) a copper foil formed on one side of an FR-4 glass epoxy resin substrate. The etching index was evaluated by the following "evaluation method". Evaluation method
The surface of each copper-clad laminate board was washed, and then a 5 m thick layer of liquid (photo)resist was uniformly applied to this surface, which was then dried. The prototype pattern of the circuit was then applied to the (photo)resist and irradiated with ultraviolet light at 200 mJ/cm 2 using a suitable exposure device. The experimental pattern was a pattern of 10 parallel straight lines 5 cm long with a line width of 100 μm and a distance between lines of 100 μm. Immediately after exposure, development was carried out, followed by washing and drying. In this state, using an etching evaluation apparatus, etching was carried out on corresponding copper-clad laminate boards on which printed circuits were produced by means of a (photo)resist. The etch evaluation device sprays an etch solution from a single nozzle perpendicularly onto a vertically mounted sample of copper-clad laminate board. For the etching solution, a mixed solution of ferric chloride and hydrochloric acid (FeCl 3:2 mol/l, HCl: 0.5 mol/l) was used; etching was carried out at a solution temperature of 50 o C, a jet pressure of 0.16 MPa, a solution flow rate of 1 l/min and a separation distance between the sample and the nozzle of 15 cm. The spraying time was 55 s. Immediately after spraying, the sample was washed with water and the (photo)resist was removed with acetone to obtain a pattern of the printed circuit. For all obtained patterns of printed circuits, the etching index was measured at the bottom width of 70 μ m (base level). At the same time, the peeling force was measured. The results are shown in Table 3. Higher values ​​of the etching index mean that the etching was judged to be of higher quality; the etching rate in the case of Examples 1, 3 and 4 was much higher than in the case of Comparative Examples 1-3. In the case of Comparative Examples 1 to 2, the roughness of the matte side of the untreated copper foil was higher than that of Examples 1, 3 and 4, and therefore the roughness after the adhesion treatment was also much higher, resulting in a low etch rate. In contrast, the roughness of the shiny side of the untreated copper foil of Comparative Example 3 was almost equal to that of the dull side of the untreated copper foil of Comparative Example 4. However, even though they were processed under the same conditions, the surface roughness after the adhesion treatment was smaller in the case of Comparative Example 4 and more in the case of Comparative Example 3, both examples being known foils. It is believed that the reason for this is that in the case of the shiny side, since it is the front side and is in contact with the titanium drum, any scratches on the drum are directly transferred to the shiny side, and therefore, when subsequent processing is carried out to enhance adhesion, copper bumps forming in during this processing, they become larger and rougher, which leads to greater surface roughness after finishing finishing to enhance adhesion; In contrast, the surface of the matte side of the copper foil according to the present invention obtained by specular electrodeposition is very smooth (finely processed), and therefore, during subsequent processing to enhance adhesion, smaller copper tubercles are formed, resulting in even more reduction of roughness after finishing to enhance adhesion. This is even more noticeable in the case of Example 1, Example 3 and Example 4. It is believed that the reason why the peel force is achieved is of the same order as the peel force in Comparative Example 3, despite the fact that the roughness of the surface subjected to the strengthening treatment much lower adhesion is that the adhesion treatment deposits finer copper particles, resulting in increased surface area and therefore higher peel forces even though the roughness is low. It should be noted that although the etching rate of Comparative Example 3 is close to that of Examples 1, 3 and 4, Comparative Example 3 is worse than Examples 1, 3 and 4 in terms of marks left on the other side of the substrate during the etching process due to the higher roughness after processing to enhance traction; in other words, it is worse not due to low elongation at high temperature, but for the reason given above. As described above, by the present invention, a low profile electrodeposited copper foil can be obtained, which further has excellent room temperature and high temperature elongation and high tensile strength. The electrodeposited copper foil thus obtained can be used as an inner or outer layer of copper foil in high-density printed circuit boards, and also as an electrodeposited copper foil for flexible printed circuit boards due to its increased bending resistance. In addition, since the raw copper foil produced in accordance with the present invention is flatter on both sides than the known raw foil, it can be used in electrodes for a battery cell, as well as flat cables or wires, as a covering material. material for cables and as shielding material, etc.

CLAIM

1. A method for producing copper foil, including electrolysis using an electrolyte containing a solution of copper sulfate, sulfuric acid and chloride ions, characterized in that the electrolysis is carried out from an electrolyte additionally containing 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate and a high molecular weight polysaccharide. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that electrolysis is carried out from an electrolyte additionally containing low molecular weight glue, the average molecular weight of which is 10,000 or less. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that electrolysis is carried out from an electrolyte additionally containing sodium 3-mercapto-4-propanesulfonate. 4. Electrodeposited copper foil having a matte and a shiny side, characterized in that the foil is produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and its matte side has a surface roughness R 2 equal to or less than the surface roughness of its shiny side. 5. Electrodeposited copper foil according to claim 4, characterized in that its surface is treated to enhance adhesion. 6. Electrodeposited copper foil according to claim 5, characterized in that the surface treatment is carried out by electrodeposition. 7. A copper-clad laminated board, characterized in that it contains an electrodeposited copper foil according to any one of claims 4 to 6. 8. A printed circuit board, characterized in that it contains an electrodeposited copper foil according to any one of claims 4 to 6. 9 A voltaic battery cell including an electrode containing an electrodeposited metal foil, characterized in that as the electrodeposited metal foil it contains copper foil according to any one of claims 4 to 6.

Aluminum foil is a very thin sheet of aluminum. The word "foil" comes from the Polish folga, goes back to the German Folie and Latin, which literally means: a thin sheet, or metal paper, or flexible metal sheet. This name applies only to thin sheets of aluminum. Usually it is not used for iron and its alloys; such material is designated by the word “tin”. Thin sheets of tin and tin alloys are staniol, the thinnest sheets of gold are gold leaf.
Aluminum foil is a material about which you can say: here it is, the amazing thing is nearby! People first tried to use aluminum back in Ancient Egypt. However, this metal has been widely used for commercial purposes for just over 100 years. The lightweight silver metal has become the basis of all global projects in space exploration, electricity transmission and automotive manufacturing.
The use of aluminum for domestic purposes is not on such a global scale, but in this area its role is important and responsible. Various aluminum cookware items and high-quality packaging are familiar to everyone. Someone will ask: what does creativity have to do with it? For the creative process you need foil - this is the same aluminum, but in the form of an alloy. Aluminum foil was first produced in France in 1903. A decade later, many other countries followed suit. In 1910, in Switzerland, the technology of continuous rolling of aluminum was developed, thanks to which aluminum foil was created with phenomenal performance qualities. The emergence of mass production of aluminum solved the problem of packaging materials. American industrialists immediately adopted it, and within three years, leading US companies were packaging their products - chewing gum and candy - only in aluminum foil. Subsequently, production techniques and equipment were repeatedly improved, and the properties of the new foil were improved. Now the foil was painted, varnished and laminated, and they learned how to apply various printed images to it. Since then, food-grade aluminum foil has firmly entered our everyday life; it has become familiar and commonplace. In fact, foil is a unique product high technology XX century. Various components, added to an aluminum alloy, multiply the strength of the packaging material, making it increasingly thinner. The standard thickness of a sheet of food foil ranges from 6.5 to 200 microns or 0.0065-0.2 mm.
Currently, neither industrial, nor commercial, nor household spheres can do without aluminum foil. The production process of food and household foil is quite complex. The production of aluminum foil is now carried out by the method of sequential multiple cold rolling of aluminum and its various alloys. During production process the metal passes between special steel shafts, and at each subsequent stage the distance between the shafts is reduced. To produce ultra-thin foil, the technology of simultaneous rolling of two metal sheets, which are separated from each other by a specialized lubricating and cooling liquid, is used. As a result, one side of the foil comes out shiny and the other is matte.
By the end of the production process, thanks to high temperature annealing, the aluminum foil becomes sterile. This makes it safe for contact with food. That is why it cannot cause harm if used in the creative process; it is chemically inert, harmless to health, and does not cause allergies.
Aluminum foil has many unique properties that make it an ideal material for making crafts; it is not afraid of either bright sun or dust. Foil has a very interesting quality - when heated to high temperatures, it does not deform or melt. This quality of the foil creates ideal conditions for soldering processes.
During the production process, a natural oxide film, which gives the material excellent corrosion resistance and protects against exposure to chemically active environments. The moisture resistance and resistance of foil to temperature changes and the destructive effects of bacteria and fungi make the scope of application of decorative products created from it almost limitless. Where other decorations pose a danger to others or quickly become unusable, foil products will still delight with their unusual beauty. Foil also has excellent reflective properties.
The unique properties and high aesthetics of this material allow foil crafts to maintain their impeccable appearance in a variety of conditions. They can decorate the interiors of the kitchen and bathroom, where the choice of materials for decoration is significantly limited due to humidity. The properties of aluminum foil make it possible to create complex decorative elements for these rooms.
Foil is a material that virtually eliminates the occurrence of static electricity when working with her. Due to the fact that it lacks the ability to attract, products made from it are almost not covered with dust. Therefore, foil products feel great on a balcony or loggia, on the open terrace of a summer house and in a garden gazebo. Aluminum foil has good flexibility and ductility; it is probably the only material that can be easily shaped into the desired configuration. Therefore, confectioners pack chocolate Santa Claus or a hare in foil, accurately repeating the shape of the product. Foil, used to create crafts, makes it easy to give the product any shape - from an exquisite flower to an elegant plant composition or an intricate souvenir. These properties turn foil into a very interesting decorative and applied material, make working with it easy and enjoyable, and expand design horizons. It is its flexibility, plasticity and softness that make it easy to make strikingly beautiful and unusual crafts from it - this greatly increases the scope for joint family creativity. The ability to color, emboss, and apply texts increases the decorative properties of foil. The metallic luster of the source material gives the crafts elegance and resemblance to silver jewelry. A small bouquet of flowers, twisted from foil and placed in a decorative vase, can decorate any interior.
You can decorate lamps, candlesticks, flower pots and other interior items with a variety of foil compositions.
The pliability and plasticity of foil, as well as its noble metallic luster, have always attracted lovers of folk art. It is also important affordable price material. Thanks to all these advantages, such an ideal ornamental material has found application in many techniques, becoming the raw material for a large number of different original works.
There are some exceptions to the use of foil as a starting material for weaving. When working with this technique, you cannot use foil with a paper backing. Since it has slightly different properties, the idea of ​​weaving can hardly be realized. But this type of foil can be used as a source material in other types of creativity, in particular, it is an excellent material for working in appliqué or mixed techniques.

Types of foil

Currently, manufacturers produce a variety of aluminum foils, which have a special high-quality composition. Different types foils are given certain parameters based on specific application purposes.
The width of the foil is determined by its final purpose: flexible packaging, household foil, foil boxes, foil for lids, etc. All of these types of foil can be used to one degree or another for making crafts. Typically, household foil is supplied to the market in rolls of standard sizes.
Based on surface type, aluminum foil is divided into two groups:
- one-sided - has two matte surfaces;
- double-sided - the surface is matte on one side and glossy on the other.
Moreover, the surface of both varieties can be either smooth, even, or textured. This means that another group appears - embossed foil.
Aluminum foil is quite thin, because of this it has a relatively low resistance to various mechanical influences - it breaks easily. To remedy this shortcoming, packaging manufacturers often use a combination of foil with other materials or coatings. They combine it with paper, cardboard, various polymer films, varnish coated or hot melt adhesive. These combinations give the packaging the necessary strength and allow you to place various images and printed text on it. When using such foil in creative work, you can easily obtain additional effects.
Household food foil, which can be used for creativity, is widely used in the household for storing and preparing various products. Regular food foil is available in the form of various packages of sweets, cupcakes, chocolate, etc. This type of foil can be laminated (cached) and with a painted surface.
Laminated (cached) foil is used in various areas of packaging of both food and non-food products. It is often used for packaging glazed cheese curds, cottage cheese, butter and other similar products. This variety is a combination of paper and foil. It is opaque, hygienic, resistant to the penetration of moisture, vapors and gases.
The usual laminating process involves gluing a sheet of paper or cardboard onto a more rigid base. Laminated foil is produced using a technology that is fundamentally different from this method. In this case, a thin aluminum sheet is placed on a paper base. Currently, there are three ways to create laminated (laminated) foil. The most reliable method of producing laminated foil is similar to the production of metallized board, which is usually obtained by foil stamping the board.
For hot foil stamping of cardboard, special sections are installed on narrow-web machines. Next, stamping is carried out with a special printing foil using a heated engraved brass shaft. Foil gives the cardboard surface a specific metallic sheen that cannot be achieved using metallized printing inks.
Another technology combines embossing and varnishing (so-called cold stamping). Here, during the laminating process, a specially developed composition of cold stamping varnish is applied to the desired printed material using a conventional photopolymer mold. Often an image is pre-printed on a sheet of paper or cardboard and coated with varnish. During the process, the varnish is polymerized with ultraviolet rays, then foil is applied to it. Then, within a few more hours, the final polymerization of the varnish takes place. An effective design technique is embossing, performed in special presses or in crucible printing machines. Laminated foil provides new opportunities for external decoration of product packaging, and at the same time it is a new chance for creative exploration when working with foil.
Technical industrial foil is produced for a variety of purposes; it can be soft or relatively hard, with a smooth or textured surface. This foil is used in the production of capacitors, containers, air conditioner grilles, air ducts, radiators and heat exchangers, transformers, screens, cables and many other types of equipment. For creative works Of interest are self-adhesive foil tapes or a kind of metal tape.
A tape of self-adhesive aluminum foil may have a special adhesive layer on one side, coated with a protective material. But there are modifications of the mounting self-adhesive aluminum tape. In particular, there is laminated aluminum foil in the form of a tape with an adhesive layer, both coated with a special protective material and without such a coating. This aluminum mounting tape has increased strength and can be used to fasten structures under heavy load. It is easier to use tapes produced without coating with a protective material. A special heat-resistant adhesive allows the tape to be used in conditions where there are strong temperature fluctuations (30-150 °C). However, it must be taken into account that at temperatures above 80 ° C, slight curling of the tape at the edges may occur. Therefore, when connecting parts, the tape should be overlapped.
Self-adhesive foil can also be in the form of a thin material on a raster paper base, which is designed to highlight a specific part of the engraved image. The best result is achieved when a drawing or inscription is applied to glass and acrylic. Such foil can be engraved, obtaining a matte image and preserving the original color of the foil. Self-adhesive foil with a thickness of 0.1 mm and dimensions of 150 x 7500 mm is produced in rolls.
Various types of foil are widely used in printing for finishing products. These types are divided depending on the method of applying foil to the product:
- foil for hot stamping;
- foil for cold stamping;
- foil for foiling.
With hot stamping, foil is applied to the surface of the product using a stamp heated to a certain temperature. Hot stamping foil, which is placed between the die and the material to be stamped (cardboard), is a multi-component system. It consists of a film base, a separating layer, a layer of varnish, a layer of metal or colored pigment and an adhesive layer. When the hot stamp is applied to the foil, it selectively melts the release layer and then uses pressure to transfer the metal or pigment layer onto the print. For hot stamping, foil is produced in a fairly wide range: metallized, colored, textured, holographic and diffraction.
Metallized and colored foil are designed to enhance products. Thanks to the metallic luster, finishing with foil of any kind decorates the product, giving it uniqueness and sophistication. Metallized foil, which has a beautiful metallic luster, comes in gold, silver and bronze. With its help, you can give the logo a relief of various profiles, significantly changing the appearance of the product.
Colored (pigment) foil, glossy or matte, comes in white, black, blue, red, green, yellow and orange. Using matte colored foil, you can print on the surface of a product that has been previously coated with a glossy film or varnish. After embossing, such foil has the appearance of paint applied to the surface. With its help you can get an unusual, effective design.
If you want to get a spectacular glossy colorless layer on the matte surface of your products, use transparent varnish foil for embossing. As a result, a shiny, colorless layer appears on the surface of the printed material.
Textured foil can have a pattern on its surface similar to the surfaces of natural materials - stone, leather or wood.
To protect documents or products from counterfeiting, holographic or diffraction foil is used, as well as special types foils such as magnetic and scratch-off foil. Patterns, drawings or inscriptions are visible on holographic foil at a certain angle. She has more high degree protection compared to diffraction foil. Diffraction foil, which has the first degree of protection, is used for printing on flexible plastic, on all types of coated and uncoated paper. Scratch foil is designed to temporarily protect information from unauthorized reading during the production of instant lottery tickets, various prepaid cards, etc. Magnetic foil is used in the production of plastic credit cards, paper tickets and bank documents.
Cold stamping foil is designed to work with those materials that cannot withstand heat - these are thin films used for the production of packaging and labels. It comes in approximately the same color range as hot stamping foil. The cold stamping method allows you to obtain a rasterized image and reproduce halftones. However, this method cannot be used to emboss materials that have strong absorbent properties.
Foiling is a special method of applying foil to a paper base. Special foil for these purposes is produced in matte, glossy and holographic versions and in standard colors. Matte and glossy foil resemble paint in appearance. The holographic variety of foil consists of geometric patterns, repeating designs and/or fragments of inscriptions.
Special foil is applied to the image printed by a laser printer. Then the paper with the applied foil is passed through a special apparatus - a foilizer or laminator, where under the influence of high temperature the toner, which is applied to the paper with foil, is sintered. When the foil is separated, a foil image remains on the paper. This foiling technique should not be used on textured linen-type papers.

In contact with

People have always been involved in handicrafts. In ancient times, they carved rock paintings with stone on stone, used veins and bone needles to sew together pieces of skin and fur, strung beautiful pebbles and shells on leather laces, wove baskets from bark and branches, and sculpted clay jugs. And it has always been important for people that the things they make are not only practical, but also beautiful. Therefore, clay jugs were decorated with painting, clothes with embroidery, wooden products with carvings, and metal ones with chasing. Whenever new material became available, people immediately adapted it to artistic creativity. Rope appeared - macrame appeared, paper appeared - origami appeared... If aluminum foil had become available to people in the Stone Age, then now archaeologists would proudly show us Neolithic jewelry woven from it. But, despite the fact that aluminum is the most common metal on earth, scientists were able to obtain it in its pure form for the first time only in the 19th century. This was a very difficult task, so for some time aluminum was a rare metal and was valued more than gold. Very noble and influential people, sparing no expense, ordered aluminum buttons and cutlery to boast of such unprecedented luxury. But in the 20th century, people finally conquered electricity, a cheap way to produce aluminum was found, and it became a widely available material. Aluminum forks and spoons, which the emperors dreamed of, became attributes of cheap catering. And after stamped products, aluminum foil appeared.

This is a delightful, modern, completely safe material, as if it was specially created for needlework. Light, flexible and shiny, it is not afraid of water and high temperatures, does not require special tools when working and, importantly, can be bought in every hardware store, and it’s very cheap.

Therefore, it is not surprising that from the very moment of its appearance, craftsmen and craftswomen tried to adapt it to create jewelry and artistic creativity: they wrapped nuts and sweets in it to hang on christmas tree, pasted over cardboard boxes, crumpled and pressed into various figures and sculptures. But it turned out that this is not all that ordinary aluminum foil is capable of. Foil weaving was the next big step in the application of this new modern material in the field of artistic creativity. When people see products woven from foil, they do not immediately understand what it is made of and how it is made, and having figured out what’s what, they cannot believe that in the entire century of existence of this material, no one has thought of such a thing.

Weaving from foil is so simple and cool that it immediately begins to seem as if this type of needlework, accessible even to children, has always existed. Indeed, he had a chance to be born every time someone, having eaten a candy or chocolate bar, began to crush and twirl in their hands the already useless, but so beautiful and shiny candy wrapper. But, either those with a sweet tooth had more important things to do, or no one ate candy in the quantities necessary for inspiration, but it turned out that it was me, Olesya Emelyanova, who once came up with the idea of ​​finding a better use for candy wrappers than the trash can. From gold wrappers from “Autumn Waltz” and other elegant candies, I began to weave miniature flowers, butterflies and goldfish. The kids I knew enthusiastically collected suitable candy wrappers for me, so that they could later exchange them for an outlandish craft.

But collecting candy wrappers was slow, their size was small, and there were a lot of ideas, so I started looking for a more affordable and easy-to-work replacement. You didn’t have to go far, because every home has a roll of food foil. It, of course, did not sparkle as much as gold, but it did not end in the most interesting place. So from “goldsmiths” I moved to the category of “silversmiths”. Now it was possible to weave whatever your heart desired: life-size flowers, candlesticks, lampshades, toys, figurines of animals and birds.

That's how I took the next step in using a relatively new material for humanity and invented the new kind creativity - foil weaving or, as it is also called, “FOILART” (from the combination of the English words “foil” and “art”). There was nothing like this anywhere in the world, so Russia can safely be called the birthplace of this amazing technology, which is confirmed by the patent I received for the invention No. 2402426 *. Having defended my invention, which is never superfluous, I decided that it was time to introduce it not only to friends and acquaintances, but also to the general public.

In 2008, the Elf-Market company released the first series of creativity kits. It includes 11 sets: flowers, butterfly, Easter egg and candlestick. By the way, it is precisely because of the name of this series that the second name of the technique has stuck to foil weaving - “FOILART”.

In 2011, the AST-PRESS publishing house published the world's first book on foil weaving, “Foil. Openwork weaving". This is a beautiful gift edition with many photographs. You had the pleasure of seeing some of them above in the photo exhibition of works. The book includes master classes on weaving flowers, candlesticks, napkins, vases, baskets and animals from foil.

In 2012, the Tenth Kingdom company released another one, which included 6 models: a box, tree leaves, jewelry, candlesticks and a miniature bicycle.

In 2014, the art of foilart continued its triumphal march through the market of kits for children's creativity. The Russian Style company has released a series of foil weaving kits under the new name “Sparkling Art”, which translates as brilliant art or sparkling art. And why not, because products woven from aluminum straw really shine due to the uneven metal surface of the foil. The series includes 4 models: horse, snail, fish and diadem.

Also on my website you can take part in free master classes and right now.

Products woven from foil look very impressive, but there is nothing complicated in their manufacture. Despite the fact that foil weaving is a new type of creativity, it has much in common with traditional types of needlework. The process of preparing the material - twisting a wire from a strip of foil - is very similar to spinning thread. Our great-great-grandmothers did this manually for so long that the genetic memory of this activity is still alive. Don't be surprised if you suddenly feel like your hands have remembered how to do this. The very process of weaving from foil is similar to lace weaving, wire weaving, and the work of a jeweler, so “FOILART” cannot definitely be called a purely female handicraft. Weaving from foil is simple, exciting and appealing to everyone who appreciates beauty and grace, loves to decorate their home, surprise and delight their loved ones.

I sincerely hope that you will like my invention, and that foil weaving will become your favorite way of creative self-expression. Learn new things, create beauty with your own hands! I sincerely wish you success in this.

© Photographer. Sergey Anatolyevich Potapov. 2011

* « Foil weaving" - new modern look needlework, patented by the author (RF patent for an invention and a method for making decorative thread from foil and products made from it No. 2402426). The “foil weaving” technique can be used for commercial purposes (books on foil weaving, creativity kits, paid workshops on teaching the technique, sale finished products and foil threads, etc.) only with a license obtained from the author and owner of the patent Olesya Emelyanova, drawn up in writing in accordance with current legislation.

We are surrounded by a lot of objects that we use, if not every day, then quite often. One such item is food foil. As a rule, many people use it only to bake meat or fish in the oven. Few people know that it has a lot of healing properties.

The most common foil in rolls, which almost every housewife uses for culinary purposes, as well as for storing food, is widely used in everyday life and in alternative medicine. Additionally, it can be used to treat various pathologies.

A roll of food foil should be in every kitchen, because with its help you can save a lot of money. Now let’s talk more about its use in everyday life.

If so, it will serve you for a very long time. This procedure will help remove stains from your favorite cutlery. First, you need to line the inside of the bucket with foil (the shiny side should be at the top). Next, place the devices there. Mix soda, about a quarter glass, with warm water - four liters. Pour this solution into a bucket. After a quarter of an hour, your favorite dishes, forks and knives will shine.

Clean the grill. Make a small foil ball. Rub it on the grate. You will definitely be satisfied with the result. This is an excellent alternative to chemical cleaning products and is also economical.

Protect the pie crust. If you don't want your cake to burn, use foil. Wrap it around the edges of the product. This way the dish will not spoil, and your family will enjoy the tasty treat.

We clean the dishes. A foil ball is an ideal alternative to steel wool. This product can be used to clean cast iron frying pans and pots from grease and burning.

Bird repellent foil. Everyone loves to watch birds in the garden, but not when they damage the crop, particularly fruit trees. Often, a special reflective tape is used for this purpose. But you can save money and make a ribbon from ordinary food foil. Just hang it on the branches, and your trees and fruits on them will remain safe and sound.

Moving heavy objects is easy. To do this, wrap the legs of a cabinet, bed, or other massive object that you want to rearrange with foil folded in several layers. But be careful, this method is not suitable for delicate surfaces. If you have carpeting in your home, you can safely go for it.

Ironing clothes quickly is not a problem. Foil has heat reflecting properties. If you put the sheet under the board cover, the ironing process will take you several times less time.

If you love bananas, keep some foil at home. If you cannot imagine your life without these fruits and buy them in large quantities, you probably often encounter one problem - they quickly spoil. To prevent this, use foil. Just wrap it around the fruit sprigs. This helps to block the access of ethylene gas released by bananas for ripening, and, importantly, extends the shelf life.

We sharpen the scissors. To do this, simply cut a small piece of foil. In addition to sharpening the scissors, you will also remove rust.

When growing flowers, use foil. It will help light-loving plants get into shape after a cold winter. Take a cardboard box, cut off one of its sides and wrap it in foil, shiny side out. Place the cardboard on the windowsill. You will be surprised how quickly your favorite flowers gain strength and energy.

Properties of foil and its use in informal medicine

Adherents of unconventional methods of treatment know about the benefits of this material, so they boldly use it for medicinal purposes. It has been proven that when used correctly, it has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and restorative effects. The use of foil contributes to:

• activation of the body's defenses;
• elimination of inflammatory processes;
• minimizing pain;
• eliminating fatigue;
• therapy for colds, coughs, gastrointestinal ailments, respiratory system pathologies, cardiovascular diseases, mastopathy, heel spurs, radiculitis, arthritis, gout, rheumatism, burns.

Foil helps eliminate muscle and joint pain. This remedy will relieve pain in the back, upper and lower extremities, and neck, and will help in the treatment of diseases such as sciatica, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis. Wrap the affected area in foil and then secure it with a tight bandage. Repeat this procedure for two weeks.

Aluminum food foil is an excellent tool in the fight against various infections. Moreover, it is an excellent alternative to antibiotics. Wrap it around your lower limbs in five layers. Place natural fabric or sheets of paper between layers. After an hour, remove everything. Carry out the procedure three times a day. The duration of the therapeutic course is a week.

Foil helps relieve pain. Hold the burned area under running water for two to three minutes. If there is no wound, wipe the affected area with a soft, clean cloth; if the skin is damaged, treat the wound with a sterile cloth. Next, apply sterile gauze and aluminum foil folded in three layers to the burn. If the skin is not damaged, it can be placed directly on the burn. Secure with a bandage. Do not remove the bandage until the pain subsides.

For phantom pain. This remedy helps to minimize phantom pain that occurs after amputation of a limb. Wrap the amputated limb in foil and then bandage it. Remove the bandage once the pain has subsided.

This product is recommended for use by cosmetologists and makeup artists. This material helps refresh the face after a sleepless night. Start by placing a few strips of foil in the freezer. After three hours, apply the strips to those areas of the face that need to be refreshed. Literally after five minutes you will feel the relaxation of your facial muscles, as well as the disappearance of signs of fatigue, insomnia or stress.

Therapeutic bridges by I. A. Vasilyeva

This innovative remedy helps treat a large number of diseases. Sore throat, pathologies of the thyroid glands, ailments of the bronchi and lungs, diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system - all these diseases can be treated with the help of foil, or so-called therapeutic bridges.

The essence of the technique is as follows. In areas of the disease, there is a disruption in the free flow of energy and the appearance of energy holes. Foil bridges help energy overcome sore spots and eliminate pathology. You ask: “What are these – healing bridges?” It's simple, these are strips of foil glued to a patch, taking into account certain rules. Anyone can make a silver bridge, it’s very simple.

First you need to stock up on:

• food foil;
• scissors;
• adhesive plaster, preferably wide and hypoallergenic.

Cut strips from foil - 1 cm wide, slightly longer than the diseased area. Then cut a strip of adhesive tape 2 cm longer than the foil strip. Stick the strips onto the patch. The distance between each strip should be 5 mm. That's it, the bridge is ready. Stick it on the painful area in a vertical direction. If the affected area is very large and one bridge is not enough for you, make another one and stick it next to the first one.

Silver bridges help not only in the treatment of diseases, but also in the elimination of wrinkles. For this purpose, you need to stick the bridge on your face before going to bed.

As you can see, foil is an effective remedy for treating ailments. In addition, with its help you can not only cook food, but also preserve the beauty and shine of silver items, clean dishes from old grease and soot.

The history of the foil weaving technique

People have always been involved in handicrafts. In ancient times, they carved rock paintings with stone on stone, used veins and bone needles to sew together pieces of skin and fur, strung beautiful pebbles and shells on leather laces, wove baskets from bark and branches, and sculpted clay jugs. And it has always been important for people that the things they make are not only practical, but also beautiful. Therefore, clay jugs were decorated with painting, clothes with embroidery, wooden products with carvings, and metal ones with chasing. Whenever new material became available, people immediately adapted it for artistic creation. Rope appeared - macrame appeared, paper appeared - origami appeared... If aluminum foil had become available to people in the Stone Age, then now archaeologists would proudly show us Neolithic jewelry woven from it. But, despite the fact that aluminum is the most common metal on earth, scientists were able to obtain it in its pure form for the first time only in the 19th century. This was a very difficult task, so for some time aluminum was a rare metal and was valued more than gold. Very noble and influential people, sparing no expense, ordered aluminum buttons and cutlery to boast of such unprecedented luxury. But in the 20th century, people finally conquered electricity, a cheap way to produce aluminum was found, and it became a widely available material. Aluminum forks and spoons, which the emperors dreamed of, became attributes of cheap catering. And after stamped products, aluminum foil appeared.

This is a delightful, modern, completely safe material, as if it was specially created for needlework. Light, flexible and shiny, it is not afraid of water and high temperatures, does not require special tools when working and, importantly, it can be bought in every hardware store, and it is very cheap.

Foil flowers are an excellent decoration for the interior, a wonderful gift for any occasion. They will delight you at any time of the year and will never wither.

Materials and tools:
- food foil 1 roll;
- scissors;
- a sheet of black velvet cardboard;

Double sided tape.
Manufacturing process:

1. Unfold the roll of foil.
2. Using scissors, cut strips of foil 2-2.5 cm wide

To make 1 flower, cut strips of foil (strips can be torn off using a ruler) in the amount of 20 pieces for making petals and 1 wide strip 15-20 cm wide for the stem.
3. We twist the wires from the resulting strips.To obtain the wire, first crumple the foil strips along the width.Then we make rotational movements with the fingers of both hands, reminiscent of the process of spinning threads from the hair of domestic animals by our grandmothers.This must be done very carefully, since you should remember that foil is a very fragile material, ready to tear at any moment. If this happens, then you can connect the pieces together without using adhesives, etc. funds.

4. To make 1 petal for a flower you need 4 wires. First, we take 1 wire for the base, and twist the second one around it.
We fasten the remaining wires around it in the same way.

Make 4 more petals in the same way.

5. For each petal we gather the ends of the wires together and straighten it beautifully.

The number of petals in a flower and wires in each flower petal is chosen arbitrarily, at the discretion of the author of the craft.
6. We made 3 flowers with petals from 4 wires and 2 from 2 wires. The process of making such flowers is similar. Only to make one petal they used two wires, twisted them together, and sharpened the ends of the petal. The number of petals of one flower was increased to 7. Stamens were also added.
7. Making stamens. For this we need 1 wire. Divide it into three equal parts, twisting the ends into circles.

8. Making a stem. To do this, we need a wide strip of foil (20 cm wide. Just like with thin strips, we first crumple it and then twist the stem out of it.

9. We collect the petals around the stem. For the second type of flower, insert the stamen into the middle.

10. In order to secure the petals to the stem, take 1 more wire and wrap it around it, you get a sepal. You can strengthen the petals around the stem by wrapping a strip of foil 3-4 cm wide around the petals and stem.

11. Making a vase. Take a sheet of black velvet cardboard and cut it in half vertically. We glue double-sided tape to the edge of one half and connect it to the other side. Thus, we have a cylinder; we cover the bottom of the cylinder with foil, gluing it inside with tape.

12. Place the resulting flowers in a vase, filling the empty space with balls made of foil.

13. Decorate flowers with spirals made from foil wires.

Our bouquet is ready!