Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Cheap Aluminum

pepsimax - 30-7-2013 at 17:04

Hello! First post here but lurked for many years.

Does anyone know a brand of aluminum foil in the UK that is both reasonably pure and quite thick?

Seem to only find cheap crap which I don't trust to 99.9% extremely expensive foil.

It's just for covering beakers and the like but Al is useful for lots of things also.

Basically just require good quality, thick as possible foil. Thanks!

Pyro - 30-7-2013 at 17:08

plastic wrap is better for those things.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tpiHvGqYqc

ElectroWin - 30-7-2013 at 17:43

Most Al foil is only perhaps 99%. the remainder being things like silicon, and other stuff.

Bot0nist - 30-7-2013 at 17:53

At the metal fab shop at my work i get piles of very fine Al turnings from drills gringing through blocks of it. On the house. Nearly all consumer Al is alloyed, IIRC.

If its the element your looking for, and not specifically foil...

[Edited on 31-7-2013 by Bot0nist]

bfesser - 30-7-2013 at 18:09

Quote: Originally posted by Pyro  
plastic wrap is better for those things.
I couldn't disagree more! I use <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_foil" target="_blank">aluminium foil</a> <img src="../scipics/_wiki.png" /> to cover all of my scrupulously cleaned glassware. I've tried plastic wrap (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saran_(plastic)" target="_blank">Saran</a> <img src="../scipics/_wiki.png" />;) for this, and it just doesn't work as well. I also use it to wrap bottles of light sensitive reagents. When I remove the foil to use the glassware, I either save it to make Al compounds or throw it into the recycling bin.

pepsimax - 30-7-2013 at 22:04

Exactly my friend!

Also useful for slight insulation etc... Basic foil is just too thin, rips easily, permeable due to manufacturing defects.... and of course Al is a useful element its self.

Bacofoil extra thick seems like the choice. I'm ringing them today to ask technical details, I'll report back.

Still open to suggestions :)

<!-- bfesser_edit_tag -->[<a href="u2u.php?action=send&username=bfesser">bfesser</a>: removed unnecessary quote(s)]

[Edited on 31.7.13 by bfesser]

Broken Gears - 30-7-2013 at 23:27

As for the Al turnings, most Al that are machined are alloys. You can buy wielding rods in pure Al.

pepsimax - 31-7-2013 at 01:22

Ah, never thought of that thanks!

If anyone is interested, bacofoil extra thick is roughly 17microns and is an alloy around 98% Al. Only the non stick version contains silicon.

The rep put me right through to the factory, gent seemed pretty confused but was helpful, heh.

[Edited on 31-7-2013 by pepsimax]

Endimion17 - 31-7-2013 at 05:32

I don't use aluminium foil alone for covering anything because it rusts in my lab and little pieces would fall into whatever I'm trying to keep clean in a matter of weeks.
I use it only to structurally back up filter paper or plastic wrap, and to keep light from photosensitive chemicals. It's also a common way to insulate parts of distillation apparatus, or to support other insulation.

Fantasma4500 - 31-7-2013 at 06:02

well aluminium tape can be bought in reasonable thickness, it has been used for welding, where its put on to seal a tube end and holes are punchtured to let gas through, not sure why this is done tho, didnt understand the details of it

infact i once made Pb(NO3)2 by HNO3 and Pb
i made a 8 layer thick lid for the 500 mL flask
it fitted SO WELL that the cap actually started to bend upwards due to the NO2 pressure!!
so most definately if you put some effort into it, it can be very brilliant way to seal off, but its alot harder to make airtight with beakers

also as bfesser says, i have a whole drawer filled with folded up al foil pieces.. too bad i dont have the place to fill a 200L drum with hydrogen and throw in a small oxygen generator and add a rag soaked in flammable liquid to it :P

but what you do is simply take standard al foil, and fold it approx 4 layers thick
then really TIGHTEN it along the edges of the beaker
if you have a problem with acid vapours place a small beaker with ammonia on top, it will float down and react with the gasses

bfesser - 31-7-2013 at 07:50

Quote: Originally posted by Endimion17  
I don't use aluminium foil alone for covering anything because it rusts&hellip;
Let's try to keep this somewhat scientific. Iron rusts, aluminium oxidizes or corrodes.

For sealing reactions, I rarely use aluminium foil. I prefer to use bubblers, septa, stoppers/corks, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parafilm" target="_blank">Parafilm</a> <img src="../scipics/_wiki.png" />, depending on the application.

<strong>Pyro</strong>, I can't say that I like the video you posted. Some of the techniques and tips demonstrated simply aren't good. The folds in those paper cups will capture small particles of reagents, necessitating a second weighing after the transfer (something which he failed to mention). The vinyl cover for the balance may seem nice at first, but it will cause static charge buildup, making weighing of fine powders even more difficult. Finally, if he wanted to keep his AlCl<sub>3</sub> dry, he should first seal it with Parafilm around the cap, then keep it in a desiccator with an actual seal.