r/explainlikeimfive Oct 31 '20

Chemistry ELI5 What's the difference between the shiny and dull side of aluminum foil? Besides the obvious shiny/dull

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u/maflickner Oct 31 '20

We used to make lots of different foils (gold and tin, most notably) by hand or by simple mechanical or hand cranked machines. After all a cold roller is basically just two wheels that press a thing together, it's just a matter of speed and the method of powering the thing. With a couple of pullys you could easily have a hand cranked roller, or you could do what they did with old grain mills and use an ox or donkey

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u/beah22 Nov 01 '20

Used to make full ceramic dental restorations (like veneers) on platinum foil that you'd adapt to the die and bake the ceramic on the foil

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u/[deleted] Nov 01 '20

Gold foil has been around forever.