> > For applications that DEMAND the Tantalum's capabilities consider
> > using a SOLID aluminium capacitor instead.

> A Tantalum cap _is_ a Solid Aluminium electrolytic cap. Tantalum
> is one type of the family 'Solid Al'. Another type is Manganese
> Oxide (I think) which Philips market as Solid Al, preventing other
> solid Al cap makers from using the term. Ain't trademarks et al
> wonderful.

This is partly right but not quite as I understand it overall.
Here's a comment on how Tantalum caps are made

        http://www.ncc-matsuo.co.jp/product/tantalum/gijyutue.html

There are indeed process & chemistry differences between brands but Tantalum
caps use the metal Tantalum and Al caps use the metal Aluminum (or Aluminium
if you are down here or in UK :-) ) .Al & Tantalum are close on the periodic
table and have similar characteristics but for wehatever reason the Al metal
caps do not exhibit the extreme over-voltage sensitivity that tantalums do..

Here is what a friend of mine had to say in reponse to my last post -
He has had substantial experience with the two types.
_________________________________

Russell,

Agree whole-heartedly with your comments.

In the old days I used to design TC's into products  - every product turned
out to be a ticking timebomb.  A TC always failed eventually  - usually in a
catastrophic manner.  I have also had a lot of TC's fail in products
designed by other people (PC motherboards especially).

Since switching to solid Al caps, I have never had one fail despite the fact
that a good many of these products have a fairly hard life in terms of
temperature.  Several hundred thousand capacitors can't be wrong.

Regards,

    Ken Mardle

______________________________________



        regards


                   Russell McMahon

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