Tantalum electrolytic capacitor is a tantalum as the metal anode through the anodic oxidation in the tantalum surface directly generated dielectric (in the direction of the electric field insulation, reverse voltage is conductive) oxide film of electronic devices. The most important difference between tantalum capacitors and other types of capacitors is the quality of the tantalum oxide dielectric film, which has a high dielectric constant and breakdown voltage. The higher the purity of the tantalum powder, the higher the breakdown voltage of the anode film of the tantalum capacitor. Tantalum powder has a high specific surface area, which remains high even after pressing and sintering due to its special pore structure, resulting in a high specific (electrical) capacitance of the capacitor. Tantalum powder for capacitors at operating voltages lower than 25 volts is generally called high specific capacitance tantalum powder because of its high specific capacitance, tantalum powder for capacitors with operating voltages of 25 volts or more have medium voltage (35 to 40 volts) and high voltage (50 to 63 volts) tantalum powder. High-capacitance tantalum powder is mainly prepared by sodium thermal reduction of potassium fluorotantalate; high-pressure tantalum powder on the purity and powder physical properties require high, such as C, O and particle size control, must be melted into an ingot with an electron beam, and then re-made into tantalum powder by hydrogenation burst.

Currently capacitor tantalum powder is moving towards the direction of high specific capacity, high purity, foreign tantalum powder specific capacity has reached 40,000 ~ 50,000 microfarads - volts / gram; 70,000 microfarads - volts / grams of tantalum powder has begun to try, individual manufacturers have been to try to make 100,000 microfarads - volts / grams of the direction of the fight.

In addition to tantalum powder, tantalum foil is also used for foil capacitors, tantalum wire is used as a capacitor anode lead. 2000 tantalum capacitor annual output reached 25 billion, the annual need for tantalum powder 800 tons, tantalum wire nearly 150 tons. Tantalum capacitors due to its wide temperature range of -55 ~ 125 degree capacitance to maintain stability, and for the ceramic capacitor is not as good. Its high reliability combined with compactness, high efficiency and long shelf time and other characteristics of tantalum capacitors in computers, communication systems, aircraft, missiles, ships and weapons systems with the instrumentation and control systems in the application of the long-lasting, tantalum has become the most important application.