Tantalum capacitor price increase cycle

How much Tantalum is consumed in capacitor anodes a year?

About 50 percent of tantalum volume is consumed in capacitor anodes each year. In the monthly report we track the price per pound of tantalite. An understanding of the tantalum capacitor supply chain is important in establishing a clear picture of the sub-sets of the global components trade.

Can tantalum capacitors be substituted?

Although tantalum capacitors constitute less than 10 percent of the overall capacitor market, almost 50 percent of the tantalum supply is used by the capacitor industry, making tantalum prices very sensitive to the demand from the capacitor industry (Vulcan, 2009). Therefore, we focus on substitution of tantalum capacitors.

What is the supply chain for tantalum capacitors?

The supply chain for tantalum capacitors begins in the ground. Certain materials, such as tantalum, are critical to the production of capacitors (anode), resistors (thin film) and semiconductors (diffusion layer) and must be mined before they can be processed into a usable form.

What is the growth rate of tantalum consumption?

The overall growth rate of tantalum consumption is 4%−5%, and more Ta is needed in preparing sputtering targets, superalloys and Ta compounds. The Ta consumption in the capacitor filed grows by 1.5%, a value below average, and saturation of the market and miniaturisation of capacitors are the main reasons.

How are tantalum capacitors made?

All other tantalum capacitors use a dry electrolyte based upon manganese nitrite or the new conductive polymer cathode materials: polypyrrole, polythiophene and polyaniline (as a sealer). The molded chip design is manufactured by molding the capacitor pellet in a fixed shape mold after the pellet has been attached to a lead frame.

Can magnesium reduction of tantalum oxide be used in capacitors?

The specific surface area of tantalum powder prepared by magnesium reduction of tantalum oxide can reach 15 m2/g , making it suitable for the application in tantalum capacitors . Therefore, magnesium reduction of tantalum oxide is considered to be the most promising method for preparing cap-grade tantalum powder.