Abstract: A sintered body obtainable by a process which includes pressing a powder comprising or consisting of at least one valve metal so as to provide a pellet, providing the pellet together with a reducing agent so that the pellet is not in a direct contact with and does not come into a direct contact with the reducing agent, heating so that the powder in the pellet is sintered to form a sintered body, an oxygen content of the at least one valve metal within the sintered body is simultaneously reduced, and the reducing agent is oxidized to an oxidized reducing agent, and removing the oxidized reducing agent with at least one mineral acid.

Abstract: A process for producing a sintered body includes pressing a powder comprising or consisting of at least one valve metal so as to provide a pellet, providing the pellet together with a reducing agent so that the pellet is not in a direct contact with and does not come into a direct contact with the reducing agent, heating so that the powder in the pellet is sintered to form a sintered body, an oxygen content of the at least one valve metal within the sintered body is simultaneously reduced, and the reducing agent is oxidized to an oxidized reducing agent, and removing the oxidized reducing agent with at least one mineral acid.

Abstract: A niobium suboxide powder comprising niobium suboxide particles having a bulk nitrogen content of between 500 to 20,000 ppm. The nitrogen is distributed in the bulk of the powder particles. The nitrogen at least partly is present in the form of at least one of Nb2N crystals or niobium oxynitride crystals.

Abstract: A niobium suboxide powder comprising niobium suboxide particles having a bulk nitrogen content of between 500 to 20,000 ppm. The nitrogen is distributed in the bulk of the powder particles. The nitrogen at least partly is present in the form of at least one of Nb2N crystals or niobium oxynitride crystals.

Abstract: Disclosed is a niobium suboxide powder for the manufacture of capacitors with higher break down voltages, higher temperatures of operation and elongated lifetimes. The powder is doped with nitrogen which is at least partly present in the form homogeneously distributed, x-ray detectable Nb2N-crystal domains. The niobium suboxide powder contains niobium suboxide particles having a bulk nitrogen content of between 500 to 20,000 ppm.

Abstract: Porous anode bodies suitable for use in solid state capacitors, the porous anode bodies prepared by processes which include providing a niobium suboxide powder comprising niobium suboxide particles having a bulk nitrogen content of 500 to 20,000 ppm, and agglomerating and coalescing the powder; and capacitors incorporating such anode bodies.

Abstract: Porous anode bodies suitable for use in solid state capacitors, the porous anode bodies prepared by processes which include providing a niobium suboxide powder comprising niobium suboxide particles having a bulk nitrogen content of 500 to 20,000 ppm, and agglomerating and coalescing the powder; and capacitors incorporating such anode bodies.

Abstract: Disclosed is a niobium suboxide powder for the manufacture of capacitors with higher break down voltages, higher temperatures of operation and elongated lifetimes. The powder is doped with nitrogen which is at least partly present in the form homogeneously distributed, x-ray detectable Nb2N-crystal domains. The niobium suboxide powder contains niobium suboxide particles having a bulk nitrogen content of between 500 to 20,000 ppm.

Abstract: The invention relates a tantalum powder free of alkali and fluorine, which for a relatively small primary particle size has comparatively large secondary particles and is suitable for producing capacitors with a specific charge of between 100,000 and 180,000 &mgr;FV/g at specific residual currents of less than 2nA/&mgr;FV.