Editing Rectifier (section)

=== Electrolytic ===
The [[electrolytic]] rectifier<ref name="Hawkins1914">{{cite book|first=Nehemiah|last=Hawkins|title=Hawkins Electrical Guide: Principles of electricity, magnetism, induction, experiments, dynamo|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/hawkinselectric02hawkgoog|year=1914|publisher=T. Audel|location=New York|chapter=54. Rectifiers}}</ref> was a device from the early twentieth century that is no longer used. A home-made version is illustrated in the 1913 book ''The Boy Mechanic''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chestofbooks.com/crafts/popular-mechanics/The-Boy-Mechanic-700-Things-for-Boys-to-Do/How-To-Make-An-Electrolytic-Rectifier.html |title=How To Make An Electrolytic Rectifier |publisher=Chestofbooks.com |access-date=2012-03-15}}</ref> but it would be suitable for use only at very low voltages because of the low [[breakdown voltage]] and the risk of [[electric shock]]. A more complex device of this kind was patented by G. W. Carpenter in 1928 (US Patent 1671970).<ref>{{cite patent| country = US| number = 1671970| status = patent| title = Liquid Rectifier| gdate = 1928-06-05| fdate = 1921-06-07| invent1 = Glenn W. Carpenter}}</ref>

When two different metals are suspended in an electrolyte solution, direct current flowing one way through the solution sees less resistance than in the other direction. Electrolytic rectifiers most commonly used an aluminum anode and a lead or steel cathode, suspended in a solution of triammonium orthophosphate.

The rectification action is due to a thin coating of [[aluminium hydroxide]] on the aluminum electrode, formed by first applying a strong current to the cell to build up the coating. The rectification process is temperature-sensitive, and for best efficiency should not operate above 86&nbsp;°F (30&nbsp;°C). There is also a [[breakdown voltage]] where the coating is penetrated and the cell is short-circuited. Electrochemical methods are often more fragile than mechanical methods, and can be sensitive to usage variations, which can drastically change or completely disrupt the rectification processes.

Similar electrolytic devices were used as [[lightning arrester]]s around the same era by suspending many aluminium cones in a tank of triammonium orthophosphate solution. Unlike the rectifier above, only aluminium electrodes were used, and used on A.C., there was no polarization and thus no rectifier action, but the chemistry was similar.<ref name="Society1920">{{cite book|author=American Technical Society|title=Cyclopedia of applied electricity|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PcN-AAAAMAAJ|volume=2|year=1920|publisher=American technical society|page=487}}</ref>

The modern [[electrolytic capacitor]], an essential component of most rectifier circuit configurations was also developed from the electrolytic rectifier.