Copper foil, also known as electroplated copper foil, is a critical material in the production of copper clad laminates (CCL) and printed circuit boards (PCBs). In today's rapidly evolving electronics industry, electrolytic copper foil is often referred to as the "neural network" of electronic products, facilitating the transmission of signals and power. Since 2002, China's PCB production value has risen to third place globally, and as a key substrate material for PCBs, copper-clad laminates have also positioned China as the third-largest producer worldwide. This growth has spurred the rapid development of China's electrolytic copper foil industry in recent years. To better understand the past, present, and future of the global and Chinese electrolytic copper foil industry, experts from the China Epoxy Resin Industry Association have conducted a comprehensive review of its evolution.
From the perspective of production and market development, the history of the electrolytic copper foil industry can be divided into three major periods:
- The Initial Period: The establishment of the world's first copper foil enterprises in the United States and the birth of the electrolytic copper foil industry.
- The Monopoly Period: Japanese copper foil enterprises dominated the global market.
- The Multipolar Competition Period: A phase of diversified competition in the global market.
The Initial Period (1955–1970s)
The origins of the electrolytic copper foil industry trace back to the United States between 1955 and the 1970s.
1930s
In 1922, Thomas Edison invented a patent for the continuous manufacturing of thin metal nickel foil, laying the foundation for modern electrolytic copper foil production. According to experts from the China Epoxy Resin Industry Association, Edison's patent involved forming metal nickel foil through electrolysis using a cathode rotating roller, an electrolyte, and a semi-circular anode. The foil was deposited on the cathode roller's surface, and as the roller rotated out of the electrolyte, the metal foil could be continuously peeled off and rolled.
In 1937, Anaconda Copper Company in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, successfully developed industrialized electroplated copper foil products based on Edison's principles. They used insoluble anodes and a continuous process to achieve copper ion equilibrium, producing electrolytic copper foil more efficiently than traditional rolling methods. Initially, this copper foil was widely used in construction for moisture-proofing and decorative purposes.
1950s
In 1955, engineers from Anaconda, including Yates and Dr. Adler, left the company and established the Circuit Foil Company (CFC), later known as Yates Company. They set up factories in New Jersey, California, and the UK to produce electrolytic copper foil. By 1957, Cleveite and Gould Company emerged from Anaconda, also entering the electrolytic copper foil market for PCBs. Gould Company expanded globally, establishing factories in Germany (then West Germany), Hong Kong, Ohio, Arizona, and the UK, becoming the world's largest producer of electrolytic copper foil by the late 1950s.
In 1958, Japan's Hitachi Chemical Industry and Sumitomo Electric Wood Company (both major CCL manufacturers) jointly founded Japan Electrolysis Company. This was followed by the establishment of electrolytic copper foil production plants by Fukuda Metal Foil Powder Industry Company, Koga Electric Industry Company, and Mitsui Metal Mining Company, marking the beginning of Japan's PCB electrolytic copper foil industry. At the time, Japanese factories used an intermittent electrolysis method, employing electroforming technology, cyanide copper plating baths, stainless steel cathode rollers, and soluble copper anodes. Despite its lower efficiency, this method enabled the production of thousands of meters of thin copper foil monthly across Japan.
