Abstract Capacitor anodes are produced in situ by sintering a powdered valve metal into a porous compact, impregnating the compact with another material in fluid or soft form which fills the pores of the compact, solidifying or hardening the second material and working the compact through the application of compressive forces to elongate it to thereby fiber the powders of the compact and to fiber the impregnant. The thus produced fiber compact is leached to remove the impregnant materials, to produce a bundle of interconnected fibers with an interconnected pore structure which can be filled with anodizing medium and later with electrolyte to comprise the capacitor. Alternatively, the impregnant can be the valve metal and the original compact can be removed after elongation and fibering.
The product of claim 1 wherein said valve metal is selected from the group comprising tantalum and niobium and their valve metal alloys.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
42 words
The product of claim 2 comprising an electrolyte impregnating the bundssssssssss bundle, an anodic oxide layer of the metal at the metal fiber surfaces, and-means providing a connecting electrical lead to said metal and counter-electrode contacting the electrolyte without contacting said fibers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The product of claim 1 wherein the fibers have an average diameter between 5 and 10 microns.