Electrolytic cell drive current in opposite directions. The cell with the larger voltage is discharged, making it a galvanic cell, so P is the cathode and N is the anode as described above. But, the cell with the smaller voltage charges, making it an electrolytic cell. In the electrolytic cell, negative ions are driven towards P and positive ions towards N. Thus, the P electrode of the electrolytic cell meets the definition of anode while the electrolytic cell is being charged. Similarly, the N electrode of the electrolytic cell is the cathode while the electrolytic cell is being charged. As already noted,
Aluminum electrolytic capacitor sensitive to voltages spikes or current surges. The anodic generated insulating oxide layer is destroyed if the polarity of the applied voltage changes. Every electrolytic capacitor in principle forms a "plate capacitor" whose capacitance is greater the larger the electrode area A and the permittivity ε, and the thinner the thickness (d) of the dielectric. The capacitance is proportional to the product of the area of one plate multiplied with the permittivity, divided by the thickness of the dielectric. Electrolytic capacitors obtain their large capacitance values by a large area and small dielectric thickness. The dielectric thickness of electrolytic capacitors