What is the Definition of a Mylar Capacitor?

Capacitors are devices that can store electrical energy. They are typically made from two metals that are called plates. These metal conductors are separated by non-conducting materials that are known as dielectrics. A mylar capacitor uses mylar, which is a polyester film, as a dielectric.

Advantages

Mylar capacitors are smaller and stronger than ones made with paper. They can also operate in a wider range of temperatures, usually up to 125 degrees Celsius.

Features

They are one of the most common types of capacitor in use. They come in many shapes and sizes, are lightweight, and very stable. They are typically coated with an epoxy.

Significance

Capacitors are important because they are used to produce oscillations and can smooth out voltage spikes and transients in circuits. They have many other functions such as energy backups and memory storage for binary codes.

Voltage

A mylar capacitor can handle many different kinds voltages, from very small to very large ones. Examples of high voltages they are used for include 250 or 1,800.

Uses

They are found in electronic devices such as televisions, cell phones and radios. Mylar capacitors are favored for communication circuits because of their quality, and for the same reason are commonly found in scientific and engineering instruments such as lasers or Geiger counters.

References

• Conceptual Physics; Paul Hewitt; 2006
• Electronic Components: A complete reference for project builders; Delton T. Horn; 1992

Resources

• Electronics-Tutorials: Types of Capacitors

Photo Credit

Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Windell Oskay