Aluminum foil is a common household and industrial product, valued for its flexibility, barrier properties, and conductivity. When considering its use in applications involving heat, such as cooking or certain industrial processes, understanding its melting point is crucial.
The Melting Point of Aluminum Foil is a well-defined physical property, which is approximately 660 degrees Celsius (660.3°C). This is equivalent to about 1220 degrees Fahrenheit (1220.5°F). At this temperature, the solid metal transitions into a liquid state.
Standard aluminum foil is typically made from aluminum that is very high in purity, often 99% or even higher (like alloy grades 1100, 1235, or 8011). While some minor alloying elements might be present to enhance specific properties like strength or formability, their concentrations in common foils are generally too low to significantly alter the melting point from that of pure aluminum.
This relatively high melting point is why aluminum foil can be safely used in conventional kitchen ovens, which typically operate at temperatures up to around 260-290°C (500-550°F). This is well below the temperature required to melt the foil, allowing it to be used for baking, roasting, and covering dishes without risk of melting.
It's important to distinguish the melting point from ignition or burning. When aluminum foil reaches 660°C, it will turn into liquid aluminum. It does not readily "burn" in air at this temperature in its sheet form, although oxidation will occur. For aluminum to combust, it usually needs to be in a very fine powdered form and exposed to much higher temperatures or a pure oxygen environment.
In summary, the melting point of aluminum foil is effectively that of pure aluminum, around 660°C (1220°F). This characteristic makes it suitable for a wide range of high-temperature applications, most notably in cooking, where typical appliance temperatures do not approach this threshold.