What is a Tantalum Capacitor?

A tantalum capacitor, fully known as a tantalum electrolytic capacitor, is a type of electrolytic capacitor that uses tantalum metal as the dielectric. Unlike ordinary electrolytic capacitors that use electrolyte, tantalum capacitors do not require the use of aluminum foil-wrapped capacitor paper, and they have almost no inductance. Electrolytic capacitors are generally considered to be high-performance electronic components with a long lifespan, and their failure rate can reach level seven under normal conditions. However, they still conform to the general failure patterns of electronic components, namely the bathtub curve, where early failures can be eliminated during the aging process. Therefore, only random failures are possible. This ineffectiveness is often due to manufacturing process control issues and is frequently accompanied by improper use or overload during the product's operation. In summary, there are approximately three modes: current type, voltage type, and heat type.

Characteristics of tantalum capacitors

Its main characteristics also determine its situation during operation. Tantalum capacitors can conveniently achieve large capacitance values, with few competitors in applications such as power supply filtering and AC bypass. It has unidirectional conductivity, known as 'polarity', and should be connected according to the positive and negative directions of the power supply during use, with the capacitor's anode (positive terminal) connected to the power supply's '+' terminal and the cathode (negative terminal) connected to the power supply's '-' terminal. There are mainly three forms: sintered solid, foil-wound solid, and sintered liquid, among which sintered solid accounts for over 95% of the total production, with non-metallic sealed resin packaging being the main type. Solid tantalum capacitors have excellent electrical performance, a wide operating temperature range, and diverse forms, with outstanding volumetric efficiency, exhibiting unique characteristics. Therefore, they serve products of various sizes. Miniaturization and chip-type integration, combined with SMT technology, are on the rise, and chip-type sintered tantalum capacitors have gradually become mainstream. Sintered liquid is commonly found in high-reliability military equipment, with the shell made of pure silver.

During the operation of tantalum electrolytic capacitors, it has the performance of automatically repairing or isolating defects in the oxide film, allowing the oxide film dielectric to be reinforced and restore its intended insulation capability at any time, preventing continuous cumulative damage. This unique self-healing property ensures their longevity and reliability advantages. Moreover, they have a very high working electric field strength, which is greater than that of any type of capacitor, ensuring their miniaturization.

Tantalum capacitors have excellent performance.

They are small in size and can achieve large capacitance among capacitors. There are few competitors in power filtering, AC bypass and other applications. Tantalum capacitors come in a variety of shapes and are manufactured as small and chip components suitable for surface mounting. Tantalum capacitors have the properties of storing electricity, charging and discharging, and are mainly used in filtering, energy storage and conversion, marking bypass, coupling and decoupling, and as time constant components.

Pay attention to its performance characteristics during application. Correct use will help to give full play to its functions, such as considering the product's working environment and its heating temperature, and taking measures such as derating. Improper use will affect the working life of the product. During the working process of tantalum capacitors, it has the function of automatically repairing or isolating the defects in the oxide film, so that the oxide film medium can be strengthened at any time and restore its proper insulation ability without continuous cumulative damage. Tantalum capacitors are not only used in military communications, aerospace and other fields, but also are widely used in industrial control, film and television equipment, communication instruments and other products.

What is the role of tantalum capacitors?

Button capacitors have better performance than aluminum capacitors, with smaller dielectric loss and smaller leakage coefficient. They are generally used as power supply filtering in circuits with high requirements, or as audio signal transmission capacitors in high-end speakers. In terms of function, tantalum capacitors have the same function as all other capacitors, only storing charges, filtering, rectifying, coupling, etc., but some properties of tantalum capacitors determine that they have more special uses, such as its large specific capacity, so in some It is commonly used in small and thin products. With good high and low temperature performance, it will be used in places with high working environment requirements. SMD tantalum capacitors mainly play a filtering and voltage stabilizing role to meet the low frequency of current. It is mainly used to eliminate the crosstalk of various high-frequency signals generated by the chip itself to other chips, so that each chip module can work normally without interference. In the high-frequency electronic oscillation circuit, chip capacitors and crystal oscillators, etc. The components together form an oscillation circuit to provide the required clock frequency for various circuits.

The Applications of Tantalum Capacitors:

1. Power Electronics:

Tantalum capacitors have found a strong foothold in power electronic circuits. Their high cell voltage capability allows them to handle significant power demands, making them suitable for applications such as energy storage, filtering, and voltage regulation. Whether it's in renewable energy systems, power supplies, or electric vehicles, tantalum capacitors prove their mettle by providing efficient power management solutions.

2. Telecommunications:

The need for reliable and high-performance capacitors in telecommunications equipment is paramount. Tantalum capacitors excel in this domain, offering compact size, low resistance, and stability under varying temperature conditions. These features make them essential for signal conditioning, decoupling, and coupling applications in telecommunication devices like smartphones, base stations, and satellite communication systems.

3. Medical Devices:

In the medical field, where precision and reliability are critical, tantalum capacitors shine as trustworthy components. They are employed in various medical devices, including pacemakers, defibrillators, and implantable devices. With their high energy density and long operational life, tantalum capacitors ensure consistent performance and assist in life-saving procedures.

4. Aerospace:

The demands of aerospace applications are rigorous, necessitating capacitors that can withstand extreme temperatures, vibrations, and shocks. Tantalum capacitors, encapsulated in innovative hermetic packaging, are well-suited for aerospace applications. Their robust construction, coupled with a reduced size and weight, makes them ideal for avionics systems, satellites, and propulsion systems.

Features of Tantalum Capacitors:

Hongda Capacitors is a leading tantalum capacitor supplier in China, with five advanced tantalum capacitor production lines, providing flexibility and capacity for the demanding electronics industry, and offering general tantalum capacitors, automotive-grade tantalum capacitors, high-temperature tantalum capacitors, and THC tantalum capacitors. It is an factory with certification of ISO9001 and IATF16949. Adopting an open and progressive policy in ethical sourcing, it is the initial company to comply with the OECD guidelines and legislation on conflict materials.

1. It has a high working electric field intensity, which is larger than any other type of capacitor, thus ensuring the miniaturization of tantalum capacitors.

2. It is very easy to obtain large capacity, and has almost no competitors in applications such as power filtering and AC bypass.

3. Has unidirectional conductivity, the so-called "polarity". When used, the current should be connected in the positive and negative directions of the power supply. The anode (positive pole) of the capacitor is connected to the "+" pole of the power supply, and the cathode (negative pole) is connected to the "-" pole of the power supply. If the capacitor is connected incorrectly and the leakage current is large, the core will be heated in a short time, the oxide film will be damaged, and then it will fail.

4. There is a certain upper limit to the operating voltage, but this shortcoming is not important for the matching of transistor or integrated circuit power supplies.

5. It has the functions of electricity storage, charging and discharging.

Now I will briefly introduce the general use tantalum capacitors and our high end tantalum capacitors of Hongda Capacitors as examples.

General use we have 3 types: CA42 radial tantalum capacitors, CA45 standard tantalum capacitors, CA55 polymer tantalum capacitors.

Hongda Capacitors CA42 series leaded tantalum capacitors.

This series features epoxy-coated flame-retardant radial lead tantalum capacitors, which are compact, have excellent electrical performance, and a long lifespan, making them suitable for televisions, telephones, instruments, and computers. Its operating standard is GB7215-87, and it is a qualified factory for military components, compliant with RoHS and REACH.

Hongda Capacitors CA45 along with its cross-sectional view.

This series is a general-purpose SMT chip tantalum series, suitable for low-power DC/DC and LDO applications. The operating standard is QJ/PWV109-2003, and it is a qualified factory for military components, compliant with RoHS and REACH.

Hongda Capacitors CA55 along with its cross-sectional view.

This series is Conductive polymer electrode reduces ignition failure mode. With lower ESR Stable capacitance across temperature and voltage, high ripple handling, volumetrically efficient, no aging effects, high frequency capacitance retention, and it is a qualified factory for military components, compliant with RoHS and REACH.

In addition, with the emergence of various raw materials for production, HONGDA Capacitors is continuously improving based on the principles of reducing costs, enhancing performance, being environmentally friendly, and expanding market business scope. Tantalum hybrid capacitors are one such innovation.

Tantalum hybrid capacitors are currently the most powerful capacitors available. They are a type of capacitor that combines the advantages of two different types of capacitors: electrolytic capacitors and electrochemical capacitors. This unique capacitor combines the high voltage capability and low resistance of electrolytic capacitors with the high energy density of electrochemical capacitors. The innovative packaging features of sealed capacitors minimize non-active components, reduce their size, and achieve reliable assembly. This makes these capacitors very suitable for a wide range of applications, including power electronics, telecommunications, medical devices, power supplies, computers, and electronic applications.

Hongda Capacitors HTHC2 series -- hybrid tantalum capacitors.

This product is a hybrid capacitor composed of tantalum electrolytic capacitors and electrochemical capacitors. It is the first innovative product in China.

It features a small size and large energy storage. It uses a fully tantalum shell, is sealed, cylindrical, and has joint directors and polarities.

It has excellent stable electrical performance, high reliability, long lifespan, and energy-saving features. In energy conversion circuits, it can act as a battery, providing energy, circuit storage, power interruption delay, and other functions. Therefore, it is applied in various cutting-edge products.

Finally:

Tantalum capacitors will develop in the direction of miniaturization, large capacity, high reliability, high frequency, and low ESR value. At present, electronic products in the world are accelerating towards high performance and miniaturization, and surface mount technology is gradually replacing traditional assembly technology. Internationally, surface mount components have become the mainstream of electronic component development. With the improvement of the performance of military electronic equipment, the development trend of tantalum capacitors will inevitably develop toward chip type and miniaturization. Chip polymer solid electrolyte tantalum capacitors with conductive polymer as the cathode have excellent high-frequency performance and high reliability, which can well meet the needs of electronic technology and development as well as the needs of miniaturization, lightness and high performance of weapons and equipment.

Hongda Capacitors’ advantage

We start manufacturing since 1999, the ISO9001 qualified factory in China, Perfectly replace: AVX Kemet Vishay Panasonic, etc.

https://www.hongdacap.com.hk/pdf/Cross_Reference_for_Tantalum_Capacitors.pdf

Offering various series, pls find below:

1.Radial Epoxy Dipped Tantalum Capacitor, CA42 Series,

https://www.hongdacap.com.hk/pdf/CA42_Dipped_Tantalum_Cap.pdf

Operating Temperature Range: -55°C ~ +125°C; >85°C(with rated voltage derating);

DC Leakage at 25°C: I o 0.02CR UR or 1uA (whichever is greater)

Capacitance Range: 0.68uF~1000uF

Voltage Range: 6.3V, 10V, 16V, 25V, 35V, 50V

Capacitance Tolerance: K: +/-10%; M: +/-20% (+/-20% tolerance is standard) Package Type: Bulk Package, Ammo Taped in Box

2.Standard Tantalum capacitor, CA45 series,

https://www.hongdacap.com.hk/pdf/CA45_Chip_Tantalum_Capacitor.pdf

Operating Temperature Range: -55°C ~ +125°C; >85°C(with rated voltage derating);

DC Leakage at 25°C: I 0.01CR UR or 0 .5uA (Choose the greater one)

Capacitance Range: 0.68uF~2200uF

Voltage Range: 2.5V, 4V, 6.3V, 10V, 16V, 20V, 25V, 35V, 50V

Fast delivery, 2weeks for regular items.

3.Low ESR Chip Tantalum Capacitors, CA45L Series,

https://www.hongdacap.com.hk/pdf/CA45L_Low_ESR_Chip_Tantalum_Capacitors.pdf

Operating Temperature Range: -55°C ~ +125°C; >85°C(with rated voltage derating);

DC Leakage at 25°C: I 0.01CR UR or 0 .5uA (Choose the greater one)

Capacitance Range: 0.68uF~1000uF

Voltage Range: 4V, 6.3V, 10V, 16V, 20V, 25V, 35V, 50V

Capacitance Tolerance: K: +/-10%; M: +/-20% (+/-20% tolerance is standard)

SPQ: A,B case: 2000pcs/reel; C,D case: 500pcs/reel; E case: 400pcs/reel

How to order, please refer to Part Number System

4.Polymer Tantalum Capacitors, CA55 Series,

https://www.hongdacap.com.hk/pdf/CA55_Polymer_Tantalum_Capacitors.pdf

Conductive polymer electrode reduces ignition failure mode

Lower ESR

Stable capacitance across temperature and voltage

High ripple handling

Volumetrically efficient

No aging effects

High frequency capacitance retention

CV range: 0.68-1000uF / 2.5-50V

7 case sizes available

Military Parts Qualified Factory

RoHS and REACH compliance

5.Military Polymer Tantalum Capacitors, CAK55 Series,

Resin molding package, good sealing, chip type, small size, light weight, polarity.

Excellent stable electrical properties, high reliability and good storage stability.

Conductive polymer electrolyte, ultra-low ESR (equivalent series resistance),

high frequency capacity retention and resistance to large ripple current.

No combustion failure mode

Execution standard: GJB2283-95, QJ/PWV501-2011

Terminal：Base Metallization - Metal Shield - Tin (Sn/Lead alloy with at least 3% lead)

6.GJB Chip Type Solid Electrolyte Tantalum Capacitors, CAK45 Series,

Operating temperature range: -55℃~+125℃,

Capacitance tolerance: K level: ±10%; M level: ±20%;

Resin molded packaging, good sealing, chip type, polarized;

Small size, light weight, excellent and stable electrical properties, long life, high reliability and good storage stability;

It has passed the national military standard certification and is suitable for surface mount circuits of military electronic equipment with high reliability requirements such as aviation, satellites, missiles, radars, and communications.

Implementation standard: GJB2283-95

ZZR-Q/PwV20003A-2010 replaces ZZR-Q/PWV20003-2006

• [Download]  CA42 Radial Dipped Tantalum Capacitors
• [Download]  CA45 Chip Tantalum Capacitors (Standard)
• [Download]  CA45L Low ESR Chip Tantalum Capacitors
• [Download]  CA55 Polymer Chip Tantalum Capacitors
• [Download]  CAK55 GJB Polymer Tantalum Capacitors