What material are the plates on a capacitor typically made from?

Capacitor plates are typically made from conductive materials that effectively store and release electrical charge. Aluminum is a popular choice for capacitor plates because it has excellent electrical conductivity and is lightweight, making it suitable for various applications in electronic components. This metal also has good corrosion resistance and is relatively inexpensive, which makes it a common material in the manufacturing of capacitors.

While copper is another highly conductive material and is sometimes used in specific types of capacitors, it is less commonly used for the plates compared to aluminum due to cost considerations and weight. Plastic, on the other hand, is generally used as an insulator within capacitors rather than as a conductive plate. Steel is not typically used for capacitor plates due to its poorer electrical conductivity compared to aluminum and copper.