Square Electrolytic Capacitors are Here!

Electronics engineers are used to seeing aluminium electrolytic capacitors in their classic cylindrical form. But at PCIM 2025, YAGEO introduced a major shift in the shape — and performance — of these components with the launch of their new square electrolytic capacitor range.

This isn’t a visual gimmick. The switch to a rectangular body format brings multiple performance benefits for engineers designing in space- and thermally-constrained environments.

Why make a square electrolytic capacitor?

As YAGEO’s Simon explained during our interview, the motivation is straightforward: round capacitors waste board space. When cylindrical components are mounted side by side, valuable PCB area is lost in the gaps between them. By transitioning to a rectangular form factor, YAGEO enables tighter stacking, better layout efficiency, and improved thermal handling.

Stackable, heat-sinkable, and higher ripple current

The square body of YAGEO’s aluminium electrolytic capacitors means they can be physically stacked and heat-sinked in a way traditional cans can’t. This results in significantly improved heat transfer, which in turn supports higher ripple current handling and extends the component’s lifespan — both critical in high-power and automotive environments.

For applications like hybrid vehicles, where board space is limited but demands on power delivery are rising, this new form factor allows engineers to pack more performance into tighter spaces.

Introducing surface-mount rectangular electrolytics

In a major step forward for manufacturability, YAGEO has also introduced surface-mount rectangular aluminium capacitors. These components can now be pick-and-placed just like other SMT parts, removing the need for through-hole assembly and opening up integration with automated production lines.

Initial production samples were on show at PCIM, and they already offer voltage ratings up to 500 V and capacitance values up to 330 µF. While larger values are currently limited to cylindrical formats, YAGEO confirmed that this will scale with adoption and manufacturing volume.

Aluminium polymer options available

For even more demanding designs, YAGEO is also offering rectangular aluminium polymer capacitors, which deliver higher temperature tolerance, longer life, and greater ripple current capacity thanks to the absence of a liquid electrolyte.

These are particularly well-suited for high-performance power electronics, industrial systems, and automotive designs where lifetime and thermal resilience are paramount.