About voltage degrading
Unlike MLCC, aluminum electrolytic capacitors do not have bias properties and capacitance does not depend on the applied voltage value. As such, there is no need to consider voltage derating. This is a merit provided by aluminum electrolytic capacitors.
When using at a voltage below the rated voltage, typically product lifetime (service life) is not impacted by the applied voltage. Compared to the impact of electrolyte evaporation caused by heat dissipation due to the ambient temperature or the ripple current, the impact of the applied current on product lifetime is so minor that it can be disregarded.
Impact of operating voltage on endurance
(example of low-voltage products)
(Note) The difference due to operating voltage is minimal so plots overlap.
However, larger high-voltage products, such as screw terminal type and snap-in type capacitors, contain more electrolyte. As such, attention must be paid to both the electrolyte evaporation caused by heat and the degradation of the oxide film caused by the applied current. As a result, we do include lifetime extension achieved through applied voltage degrading in our lifetime estimations.
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