[sdiy] tantalum

[John Blacet]

Tantalum is useful in electrolytic caps because it reduces their size.
They also have somewhat longer life because they are solid material.
This is important for small surface mount stuff like in cell phones.

Tantalum is also rather hard to come by; the Congo (site of a major,
uncovered by the western press, civil war--25 million dead!) used to be
a major exporter.

These caps also EXPLODE when reversed biased. Regular electrolytics are
designed to spurt; notice the little, grenade like cross hatching on the
top of the cans.

We used to hear them go off in Test several rooms away in Engineering.
___________________
John Blacet
Blacet Research
http://www.blacet.com