TOKYO — In a major step toward supporting the rapid electrification of the automotive industry, Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Murata) has announced the mass production of its latest innovation: the 'GCJ21BD72A225KE02', a resin electrode multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) specifically engineered for automotive applications.

The newly developed MLCC achieves a rated voltage of 100Vdc and a capacitance of 2.2μF within a compact 2012M size (2.0x1.25mm). Designed to address the automotive sector's shifting demands toward miniaturization, higher capacity, and elevated voltage resistance, the product stands out for its enhanced mounting reliability, which significantly mitigates the risk of cracking caused by board bending.

Meeting the Demands of Next-Gen Mobility

As Autonomous Driving (AD) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) become increasingly sophisticated, vehicles are requiring a much higher volume of electronic components. This surge has led to severe spatial constraints on printed circuit boards (PCBs). Furthermore, the expanding adoption of 48V power supply systems in modern vehicles has created an urgent market need for MLCCs that can offer small footprints, high capacity, and exceptional voltage resistance simultaneously.

To overcome these challenges, Murata utilized its proprietary ceramic material design technology alongside advanced atomization and homogenization techniques.

Key Performance Breakthroughs

The GCJ21BD72A225KE02 delivers substantial advancements over existing market alternatives:

Significant Space Savings: Compared to conventional products with the same capacitance, which required at least a 3216M size, the new MLCC reduces the required mounting area by approximately 51%.
Higher Density: Within the same 2012M dimensions, this new model expands capacitance by roughly 2.2 times compared to legacy versions.
Superior Durability: By incorporating a specialized resin layer into the external electrodes, the MLCC effectively absorbs the mechanical stress caused by board bending—a common byproduct of vehicle vibration and thermal expansion during operation. This structural design drastically reduces the occurrence of cracks after mounting.
"As vehicles become highly sophisticated and multi-functional, the demand for smaller, more reliable automotive electronic components is accelerating," a Murata representative stated. "We will continue to expand our lineup of multi-layer ceramic capacitors to meet the evolving and rigorous demands of the automotive sector."
With this launch, Murata reinforces its leadership position in the electronic components market, providing automakers with the critical hardware required to safely compress power systems while elevating overall vehicle reliability.