Surface contaminants on annealed aluminium foil and their effects on adhesion

Surface fast atom bombardment mass spectroscopy (FABMS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been used to study the chemistry of the residues remaining on aluminium foil surfaces following annealing. In addition surface FABMS spectra were obtained of the base oil and additives used in the rolling lubricant. Surface FABMS analysis showed that none of the original additives or components of base oil remained on the surface following annealing. Instead the surface was partially covered with organic acid anions of varying molecular weight. The total concentrations of residues determined by XPS and surface FABMS correlated well with the variation in adhesion properties across the width of coiled, annealed foil.