Pharmaceutical aluminum foil, in the field of pharmaceutical packaging, usually refers to "pharmaceutical packaging aluminum foil" or PTP aluminum foil. PTP stands for "Press Through Pack, " meaning "press-through type packaging, " which refers to the lid part of the blister packs commonly seen in daily life.
Pharmaceutical aluminum foil is the core material for pharmaceutical blister packaging (PTP), mainly used for the individual sealed packaging of tablets and capsules. Its standard structure is composed of a protective layer (OP), aluminum foil substrate (AL), and heat-sealing layer (VC), with a typical thickness of 0.016–0.065 mm. It uses the 8011 aluminum alloy substrate to ensure mechanical performance.
Pharmaceutical aluminum foil is generally made of specific aluminum alloys (such as 8011 and 8021 series). With its unique composite structure, it provides excellent barrier properties, sealing performance, and stability, and is widely used in various drug packaging applications.
What is Pharmaceutical Aluminum Foil (PTP Foil)?
It is a type of aluminum foil material specially designed for pharmaceutical packaging, featuring a multi-layer composite structure. It is not just a simple sealing layer but a key component to ensure drug safety, efficacy, and stability.
Pharmaceutical Aluminium Foil Specification
- Alloy: 8011, 8021, 1235, etc. Among them, 8011 is the mainstream due to its excellent mechanical properties.
- Thickness range: 0.002–0.1 mm
- Typical thicknesses: 20μm, 28μm, 30μm, 45μm, 50μm, 60μm
- Typical Uses: Pain-relieving patch packaging material
- Aluminium finishes: Matte / Bright (Glossy)
- Temper: Soft / Hard
- Haomei Processing Services: Supports slitting, lamination, and cutting customization.
Classification of Pharmaceutical Aluminium Foil
PTP Aluminum Foil (Flat-type Blister Foil)
- Material: 8011-H18 (hard) or 8011-O (soft) aluminum foil, thickness 0.016–0.04 mm.
- Application: Conventional blister packaging for tablets and capsules, heat-sealed with PVC/PVDC rigid sheets to form individually sealed units.
Cold Forming Foil (Alu-Alu)
- Material: 8021-O aluminum foil, thickness 0.04–0.065 mm, laminated with OPA (Oriented Polyamide) and PVC layers.
- Application: High-end biologics, antibiotics, and other moisture-sensitive drug packaging. Its all-aluminum structure provides 100% light protection and remains non-brittle at -20°C during cold chain transport.
Tropical Blister Foil (Al-Plastic-Al Composite Film)
- Structure: Outer cold-formed aluminum foil + middle thermoforming plastic + inner PTP aluminum foil, with a total thickness of 0.1–0.2 mm.
- Application: Used in tropical regions for pharmaceutical packaging, providing double sealing to prevent moisture absorption of medicines in high-humidity environments.
Aluminum Foil for Pharmaceutical Caps
- Material: 8011-H14/H16 aluminum foil, thickness 0.016–0.05 mm, surface coated with heat-sealing adhesive.
- Application: Used for aluminum-plastic composite caps of oral liquid and infusion bottles. Seal integrity tests show headspace gas content <0.5% and microbial intrusion rate of 0.
Structure and Composition of Pharmaceutical Aluminium Foil
A standard piece of pharmaceutical aluminum foil usually consists of three or more layers:
Outer Layer (Protective Layer):
Material: Usually polyester film (PET), nylon (NY), or paper.
Functions:
Printability: Provides a smooth surface for printing product names, trademarks, dosage, batch number, expiration date, and other information.
Protection: Protects printed patterns from scratches and provides certain mechanical strength.
Heat Resistance: Maintains stability during the heat-sealing process.
Middle Layer (Base Material Layer):
Material: Industrial pure aluminum foil, typically 20–40 microns thick.
Core Barrier: Completely blocks moisture, oxygen, light, and microorganisms — the most critical property to ensure drug stability.
Formability: Provides certain ductility to form blister pockets together with the lower plastic sheet (PVC, PVDC, etc.).
Easy-to-tear: Ensures consumers can easily press out tablets from the blister.
Inner Layer (Sealing/Adhesive Layer):
Material: Pharmaceutical-grade heat-sealing coating, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), or special acrylic resin.
Heat Sealing: Under heat and pressure, this layer melts and firmly bonds with the lower plastic sheet (blister material) to form sealed blisters.
Hygiene and Safety: Although not in direct contact with the tablets, it is inside the same sealed space, so it must be non-toxic, odorless, non-reactive with the drug, and meet strict hygiene standards.
Characteristics of Pharmaceutical Aluminium Foil
- High Barrier Property: The aluminum foil layer effectively blocks light, oxygen, and water vapor, protecting the medicine from deliquescence or oxidation.
- Heat-Sealing Compatibility: The heat-sealing layer is suitable for laminating with plastic substrates such as PVC and PVDC, compatible with high-speed automated packaging equipment.
- High Strength and Weather Resistance: After cold rolling and annealing, the tensile strength of the aluminum foil can reach 120–200 MPa. It can withstand mechanical stress during transportation and storage, and remains stable in environments ranging from -40°C to +80°C.
- Environmental Friendliness: Its recyclable design meets sustainability requirements, and its lightweight nature reduces transportation energy consumption.
Advantages of Pharmaceutical Aluminium Foil
Excellent Barrier Performance:
- Moisture Resistance: Completely prevents the ingress of water vapor, avoiding drug deliquescence and deterioration.
- Oxygen Barrier: Prevents oxidation of drugs and maintains efficacy.
- Light Protection: Aluminum foil can 100% block ultraviolet and other light, protecting photosensitive medicines.
- Odor Retention and Anti-Contamination: Maintains the original scent of the medicine and prevents external odors from entering.
- Sterile Barrier: Effectively blocks microorganisms, bacteria, and dust.
- Physical Protection: Provides good mechanical protection for tablets and capsules, preventing breakage caused by compression or impact during transport and handling.
Ease of Use:
Easy to Take: By pressing the blister, the tablet can easily pierce through the foil, making it convenient to use.
Unit Dose Packaging: One blister per dose provides clear dosing, helping patients follow prescriptions and avoid missed or excessive doses.
High Safety:
- Child-Resistant: Due to the high strength of aluminum foil, it is difficult for children to tear open, enhancing safety (though not absolutely childproof, this function is usually achieved with specially designed blister base films).
- Tamper Evidence: Any damage to the packaging leaves visible traces, making tampering easy to detect.
- Clear Information: The outer layer can be printed with detailed drug information for easy identification and traceability.
Pharmaceutical Aluminum Foil Applications
Solid Oral Dosage Forms: This is the main field of application.
Tablets (plain tablets, sugar-coated tablets, film-coated tablets)
Hard Capsules
Soft Capsules
Other Dosage Forms: Some suppositories and topical patches also use aluminum foil packaging with similar structures.
Aluminum Foil for Strip Pharmaceutical Pack
- Alloy Type- 8011, 8079
- Temper- O (soft)
- Thickness & Tolerance- 0.02-0.05mm (Tolerance: +/-5%)
- Width & Tolerance- 200-2100mm (Tolerance: +/-1mm)
- Typical Core I.D. - 76mm, 152mm
- Pin Hole- Pinhole Free
- Surface Quality- Free from scratches, rolling bands and wrinkles
- Wet-ability Test- A grade for soft
Aluminum Foil for Blister Pack
- Application- Blister Packs in the Health Care segment
- Alloy Type- 8011, 8079
- Temper- H18(Hard)
- Thickness & Tolerance- 0.02- 0.03mm (Tolerance: +/-5%)
- Width & Tolerance- 200mm-2100mm (Tolerance: +/-1mm)
- Typical Core I.D.- 76mm & 150mm
- Inner Core Materials- Steel/ Aluminium Core
Aluminum Foil for Cold Forming Laminate
- Application- Cold forming blister (Alu-Alu) in the Health Care segment
- Alloy Type- 8021
- Temper- O (soft)
- Thickness & Tolerance- 0.045-0.06 mm (Tolerance: +/-5%)
- Width & Tolerance- 200-2100mm (Tolerance :+/-1mm)
- Typical Core I.D.- 76mm, 152mm
- Pin Hole- Pinhole Free
- Surface Quality- Free from scratches, rolling bands and wrinkles
- Wet-ability Test- A grade for soft
Blister Pharmaceutical Aluminum Foil 8011 8079
Blister foil is the ideal choice for rigid packaging of various medical and pharmaceutical products like pills, capsules, and tablets. The thickness of this foil is usually between 25 and 28 microns. The bright side of the foil is coated with a heat-sealing layer, while the matte side is coated for printing.
Blister packs are easy to handle, compact, and convenient for transportation. Due to the use of aluminum foil, each product in a blister pack is individually sealed, protecting it from external influences before consumption.
Cold Forming Pharmaceutical Laminated Aluminum Foil 8021
Cold-formed aluminum foil is used in the healthcare sector, especially for cold-formed blister packs, commonly known as alu-alu packaging.
PTP Pharmaceutical Aluminum Foil 8011
PTP pharmaceutical aluminum foil, also known as blister foil or capsule foil, is usually made from 8011-H18 or 8011-O aluminum foil. This type of foil is used for tablet packaging, with a thickness range of 0.016 to 0.04 mm.
Tropical Pharmaceutical Aluminum Foil 8021 8079
Tropical aluminum foil, also known as aluminum-plastic-aluminum foil, is a high-end packaging material used in the pharmaceutical industry. This packaging consists of a layer of cold-formed aluminum foil, a layer of thermoformed plastic blister, and PTP aluminum foil. It is usually made from 8021-O or 8079-O aluminum foil.
Aluminum Foil for Drug Bottle Caps 8011
Aluminum foil for drug bottle caps, also known as cap material, is usually made from 8011-H14 or 8011-H16 aluminum foil. It is widely used for sealing bottles containing oral liquids, antibiotics, and intravenous fluids.
Strip Aluminum Foil 8011 8079 for Pharmaceutical Packaging
Strip packaging can be entirely made of aluminum or combined with paper or plastic for pharmaceutical packaging. A key requirement is the ease of tearing the packaging. The ductility and foldability of aluminum foil are critical in these applications, allowing the metal to conform closely to the shape of the tablet. Strip packaging offers cost-effective, high-barrier protection suitable for high-speed aseptic filling lines.
What Are the Products of Aluminum Foil for Pharmaceutical Packaging?
Hard Aluminum Foil
Hard aluminum foil is one of the main materials for press-through packaging of pharmaceuticals. This aluminum foil has low tensile strength, with the main advantage of being easy to break, allowing the drug to be released with relatively little force.
Features of Hard Aluminum Foil:
- Low tensile strength, easy to break.
- Suitable for packaging that requires rapid and low-force drug release.
Hard Aluminum Foil Applications:
- Commonly used as a lid material for blister packaging.
- Typically with a thickness of about 25 micrometers (μm).
- Suitable for push-through opening methods, facilitating easy access to medication.
Hard Aluminum Foil Processing:
- The outer side is usually printed with patterns or text, while the inner side may be coated with a heat seal primer and heat seal lacquer.
- The heat seal primer helps the heat seal lacquer adhere to the aluminum foil. The primer can be colored, mainly for marketing purposes.
Soft Aluminum Foil
The difference between soft and hard aluminum foil lies in its greater flexibility and elongation, making it more difficult for tablets to be pushed through.
Soft Aluminum Foil Features:
- Greater elongation and flexibility.
- Enhanced safety to prevent child tampering.
Soft Aluminum Foil Applications:
- Used in medication packaging that needs to prevent child access.
- The packaging seams usually have additional perforations to increase safety, making it difficult to completely peel off the foil.
Soft Aluminum Foil Processing:
Suitable for packaging capsules or tablets, especially in blister packaging.
Composite Aluminum Paper/PET Blister Film
Features:
- Composed of paper and aluminum foil, with a surface that can be directly printed.
- Increases packaging strength and durability.
Applications:
Mainly used as a cover film in blister packaging.
Heat Seal Lacquer
Heat seal lacquer is a critical material used to securely seal aluminum foil lids onto blister films. In this process, the plastic push-through blister is perfectly sealed with aluminum foil to ensure effective protection of tablets within the packaging.
Features:
- Used for sealing between aluminum foil and blister film.
- Ensures firm adhesion of aluminum foil to the blister film through appropriate pressure, temperature, and time.
Applications:
- Ensures effective protection of tablets within blister packaging.
- Commonly used for sealing plastic push-through blisters, providing stable sealing to prevent exposure of medications to external environments.
Pharmaceutical Aluminum Foil 8011 8021 8079 Chemical Composition
| Ingredient | Si | Fe | Cu | Mn | Mg | Cr | Zn | Ti | Other | Al |
| Content | 0.5-0.9 | 0.6-1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.1 | 0.08 | 0.15 | Margin |
| 8011 Aluminum Foil | ||||||||||
| Alloy No. | Si | Fe | Cu | Zn | Others | Al |
| 8079 | 0.050 – 0.30 | 0.70 – 1.3 | ≤ 0.050 | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.15 | REMAIN |
| 8079 Aluminum Foil | ||||||
| Alloy No. | Si | Fe | Cu | Mn | Mg | Zn | Others | Al |
| 8021 | ≦0.15 | ≦1.7 | ≦0.05 | ≦0.05 | ≦0.05 | ≦0.05 | ≦0.05 | Remain |
| 8021 Aluminum Foil | ||||||||
Precautions for Pharmaceutical Aluminium Foil
- Pinholes Issue: Tiny pinholes may occur during the production of aluminum foil, which can severely affect its barrier performance. High-quality pharmaceutical foil imposes strict limits on both the number and size of pinholes.
- Selection of Adhesive Layer: The heat-sealing layer must be carefully selected based on the characteristics of the packaged drug (such as acidity, alkalinity, and hygroscopicity) and the material of the blister base film to ensure strong sealing and prevent chemical interaction with the medicine.
- Environmental Concerns: The composite structure of aluminum foil and plastic makes recycling more difficult, posing a current challenge for the packaging industry.
Pharmaceutical Aluminum Foil Frequently Asked Questions
What are the uses of aluminum foil in medicine?
Aluminum foil is used in pharmaceutical packaging, particularly in blister packs and cold forming packs, to ensure the quality and safety of medications.
What is blister foil for pharmaceuticals?
Blister foil for pharmaceuticals is an aluminum foil packaging material used to seal medications, providing high barrier properties to extend the shelf life of the drugs.
Why are medicines kept in aluminum foil?
Medicines are stored in aluminum foil due to its excellent barrier properties, which protect the drugs from oxygen, moisture, and light.