Electrode reaction cannot be reversed, and the identities of the anode and cathode are therefore fixed. The anode is always the negative electrode. The cell can be discharged but not recharged. A secondary cell, for example a rechargeable battery, is a cell in which the chemical reactions are reversible. When the cell is being charged, the anode becomes the positive (+) and the cathode the negative (−) electrode. This is also the case in an electrolytic cell. When the cell is being discharged, it behaves like a primary cell, with the anode as the negative and the cathode as the positive
Aluminum electrolytic capacitor for better self-healing property of the oxide layer, so that the capacitors have the advantages of both low ESR and low leakage current. The basic material of the anode for aluminum electrolytic capacitors is a foil with a thickness of ~ 20–100 µm made of aluminum with a high purity of at least 99.99%. This is etched (roughened) in an electrochemical process to increase the effective electrode surface. By etching the surface of the anode, depending on the required rated voltage, the surface area can be increased by a factor of approximately 200 with respect to a smooth surface. After