Tantalum capacitor housing requirements

What voltage should a tantalum capacitor be rated at?

Note that a similar burn-in test for solid tantalum capacitors (Weibull grading test) is carried out typically at voltages in the range from 1.3VR to 1.52 VR. Considering that wet tantalum capacitors operate at conditions close to breakdown, increasing voltage to more than 1.1VR might be risky.

Should wet tantalum capacitors be used in Space Systems?

Therefore all applications of wet tantalum capacitors should be considered as critical and they should be qualified for use in space systems after thorough screening and qualification for projects of all levels.

Can tantalum capacitors be used with reverse voltage?

25 °C. Reverse Voltage: solid tantalum capacitors are not intended for use with reverse voltage applied. However, they have been shown to be capable of withstanding momentary reverse voltage peaks of up to 10 % of the DC rating at 25 °C and 5 % of the DC rating at +85 °C.

What are the different types of tantalum capacitors?

The two main categories are wet tantalum capacitors and solid tantalum capacitors. Additionally, within solid tantalum capacitors, there are various package styles that are optimized for different needs. Wet tantalum capacitors use a liquid electrolyte as the cathode, which is in contact with the dielectric oxide layer formed on the anode.

Can a hermetically sealed tantalum capacitor survive a high temperature?

Hermetically sealed wet tantalum capacitors might sustain high pressures and some lots can pass life testing at high temperatures, up to 200 oC. However, diffusion of hydrogen into the case results in embrittlement of tantalum and increases the risk of its fracture.

Why is the capacitance of a tantalum capacitor high?

As the dielectric constant of the tantalum pentoxide is high, the capacitance of a tantalum capacitor is high if the area of the plates is large: Tantalum capacitors contain either liquid or solid electrolytes. In solid electrolyte capacitors, a dry material (manganese dioxide) forms the cathode plate.