A capacitor has two electrodes, one having a porous, electrically non-conductive material formed on a surface of the electrode, for example, by subjecting the conductive material of the first electrode to an anodization process. The porous, electrically non-conductive material is infused with an ionic solution and then covered by the second electrode to form the capacitor. In one implementation, the first electrode is made of titanium, and the porous, electrically non-conductive material is an array of titania tubes that grow perpendicularly from the titanium surface during the anodization process. After infusing the array of titania tubes with a saturated solution of sodium nitrate, the array is covered with a sheet of conductive material that forms the second electrode. The presence of the ionic solution greatly increases the effective dielectric constant of the titania array, thereby greatly increasing the amount of charge that can be stored in the capacitor.

A conductive composite is provided, which includes a conductive conjugated polymer and a mixture. The mixture includes (a) boron oxide, and (b) sulfur-containing compound, nitrogen-containing compound, or a combination thereof. A capacitor is also provided, which includes an anode electrode, a dielectric layer on the anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and an electrolyte between the dielectric layer and the cathode electrode, wherein the electrolyte includes the described conductive composite.

A capacitor having at least two side-by-side anodes with a cathode current collector disposed between the anodes and housed inside a casing is described. Cathode active material is supported on the opposed major faces of the current collector and the current collector/cathode active material subassembly is housed in a first separator envelope. The first separator envelope is positioned between the side-by-side anodes and this electrode assembly is then contained in a second separator envelope. The two anodes can be connected in parallel inside or outside casing, or they can be unconnected to each other. There is also cathode active material supported on inner surfaces of the casing in a face-to-face alignment with an adjacent one of the anodes. That way, the second separator envelope also prevents direct physical contact between the anode pellets and the cathode active material supported on the casing sidewalls.

A capacitor assembly for use in high voltage and high temperature environments is provided. More particularly, the capacitor assembly includes a capacitor element containing an anodically oxidized porous, sintered body that is coated with a manganese oxide solid electrolyte. To help facilitate the use of the capacitor assembly in high voltage (e.g., above about 35 volts) and high temperature (e.g., above about 175 C.) applications, the capacitor element is enclosed and hermetically sealed within a housing in the presence of a gaseous atmosphere that contains an inert gas. It is believed that the housing and inert gas atmosphere are capable of limiting the amount of moisture supplied to the manganese dioxide. In this manner, the solid electrolyte is less likely to undergo an adverse reaction under extreme conditions, thus increasing the thermal stability of the capacitor assembly. In addition to functioning well in both high voltage and high temperature environments, the capacitor assembly of the present invention may also exhibit a high volumetric efficiency.

A capacitor case sealed to retain electrolyte; a sintered anode disposed in the capacitor case, the sintered anode having a shape wherein the sintered anode includes a mating portion; a conductor coupled to the sintered anode, the conductor sealingly extending through the capacitor case to a terminal disposed on an exterior of the capacitor case; a sintered cathode disposed in the capacitor case, the sintered cathode having a shape that mates with the mating portion of the sintered anode such that the sintered cathode matingly fits in the mating portion of the sintered anode; a separator between the sintered anode and the sintered cathode; and a second terminal disposed on the exterior of the capacitor case and in electrical communication with the sintered cathode, with the terminal and the second terminal electrically isolated from one another.

A method for increasing surface area of a valve metal particle is provided as is an improved valve metal particle provided thereby. The method includes charging a mill apparatus with a valve metal powder and a media wherein the media has an average diameter of at least 0.01 cm to no more than 0.3175 cm. The valve metal powder is then milled at an average kinetic energy of no more than 3,000 ergs per media particle to obtain a milled powder.

A capacitor includes a metallic tantalum, an electric conductor, and an oxidized tantalum film. The oxidized tantalum film is disposed between the metallic tantalum and the electric conductor, where the oxidized tantalum film is in contact with the metallic tantalum. The oxidized tantalum film includes a first portion containing fluorine, and a second portion. The second portion is located closer to the metallic tantalum than the first portion in a thickness direction of the oxidized tantalum film. And a fluorine concentration at the second portion is lower than a fluorine concentration at the first portion.

A tantalum capacitor includes a tantalum body including a tantalum element including tantalum powder, a conductive polymer layer disposed on the tantalum element, and a tantalum wire penetrating through at least a portion of each of the tantalum element and the conductive polymer layer in a first direction, a molded portion including a fifth surface and a sixth surface facing in the first direction, a third surface and a fourth surface facing in a second direction, and a first surface and a second surface facing in a third direction and surrounding the tantalum body, a first coating layer disposed in at least a portion of an interface between the tantalum body and the molded portion, and a second coating layer disposed on the first coating layer, wherein the second coating layer is thicker than the first coating layer.

An electrolytic capacitor includes; an anode body including a porous body, a dielectric layer; and a solid electrolyte layer that fills in pores of the porous body. A filling rate R of the solid electrolyte layer in the porous body decreases from an outer surface toward the center. A shortest distance D from an outer surface to the center, and a distance X.sub.50 from the outer surface of the porous body when the filling rate R is 50% satisfy a specific relationship. When CV value of the porous body is less than 100,000 F.Math.V/g, 0.1 DX.sub.50<0.7 D is satisfied. When CV value of the porous body is 100,000 F.Math.V/g or more and less than 150,000 F.Math.V/g, 0.05 DX.sub.50<0.3 D is satisfied. When CV value of the porous body is 150,000 F.Math.V/g or more, 0.03 DX.sub.50<0.2 D is satisfied.

A tantalum capacitor includes a tantalum body including a tantalum element including tantalum powder, and a tantalum wire passing through at least a portion of the tantalum element in a first direction, a molded portion having fifth and sixth surfaces opposing each other in the first direction, third and fourth surfaces opposing each other in a second direction, first and second surfaces opposing each other in a third direction, the molded portion formed to surround the tantalum body, an anode lead frame connected to the tantalum wire, a cathode lead frame spaced apart from the anode lead frame, the cathode lead frame connected to the tantalum body, and a frame terminal disposed on the anode lead frame and the cathode lead frame to be spaced apart from the second surface of the molded portion.