Why are aluminum cans used for packaging, aluminum cans are cheaper than iron cans?

Although the reserves of aluminum in the earth's crust are more than that of iron, the production process of aluminum is much more complicated than that of iron. Aluminum is a relatively active metal element. The smelting requires electrolysis, and carbon cannot be used to reduce aluminum. But iron can be reduced with carbon. The cost of carbothermic reduction is significantly lower than that of electrolysis, which is extremely energy-intensive, so the cost of consumption in the entire production process is higher than that of iron. Therefore, aluminum is obviously more expensive than iron, so it is more expensive, so the price of aluminum is higher than that of iron.

A relatively hard iron can is used on the market, because the packaged material is not under pressure, and aluminum cans are easily deformed. Iron cans are also called three-piece cans in the industry. The production process of iron three-piece cans is mostly lithographic printing, then cutting and welding into circles. First, the top or bottom cover is fitted in the can factory, and then filled after filling. on the corresponding bottom or top cover.

The advantages of aluminum cans are that they are not easily broken, light in weight, and opaque to light. Common carbonated beverages on the market (cola, beer, etc.) use aluminum cans because aluminum cans are not easily corroded by acid, and aluminum cans are easy to form and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The pressure in the soda water is higher than the normal pressure, under the action of the pressure, there is no need to worry about deformation. Moreover, the aluminum can can ensure the pressure of carbon dioxide in the soda, so that the soda can achieve a better taste effect. Therefore, a strong and durable aluminum can is required to prevent deformation during transportation and storage. Aluminum cans are not made of pure aluminum, but aluminum alloys. Most of the domestic processes are stamped from aluminum coils, then roller printed, with easy-to-open lids, which are also called two-piece cans in the industry.

Although the price of aluminum is relatively high, switching to aluminum cans saves costs. One is that aluminum cans are lighter than iron cans, so the cost of a single can decreases. The second is that aluminum cans are two-piece cans and iron cans are three-piece cans. The aluminum can also saves costs in the process. When selling scraps, aluminum cans are more valuable than tin cans, because aluminum cans are easy to recycle and reuse, while tin cans are tin-plated plates with a layer of tin on them, and ordinary small factories don’t have that process for recycling.