Copper Foil Vs. Aluminum Foil Attenuation

Gauge

• Copper and aluminum foil comes in different gauges. The gauge of these metals concerns the thickness. Copper foil has a minimum gauge of .0005 inches, while aluminum foil minimum gauge is .00017 inches, with a maximum gauge of only .00059 inches. Since copper foil is thicker than most aluminum foils, it does not wear as quickly as aluminum. The thicker gauge of copper foil prevents it from thinning as quickly as aluminum foil will wear.

Tempering

• Even though both foils can be purchased in tempers from annealed through full hardness, the copper foil is more durable than the aluminum foil because it does not tear as easily. When aluminum foil is tempered to full hardness, its attenuation is still limited compared to the tempering of copper foil. The aluminum tempering is weaker and less durable because of the way the alloy is manufactured.

Core

• The core differences between the two foils also make a copper stronger and more durable than aluminum foil. Aluminum foil can be produced with fiber, steel or plastic core, while copper foil is manufactured with the same type of core, its finish is different. Copper foil can have a finish that is hot tin dipped or tin plated making it stronger and less likely to thin easily. Aluminum foil does not have a finish to make it stronger.

Alloys

• Pure copper is rarely found and is combined with many other metals or alloys to produce copper foil, which makes it a stronger material than aluminum foil. Even though aluminum foil resists greasy products, such as oils and fats, it does not resist alkaline products, like soaps and detergents as well as copper foil. The soaps and detergents wear the alloys of aluminum quicker than they do copper foils. If you use copper foil in glass artwork, it can be washed or shined without worrying about the metal deteriorating. Washing aluminum foil with soap or detergent can break down the alloys or chemicals used to produce the aluminum.