I found this ATX power supply guide on
On the last page is has "No quaternary salt electrolytic capacitors shall be used."
What's with that? Some sort of hazard I guess... Explosive? Fumes? Fire? Short life? Low temp range?
Dunno... D from BC
Quaternary ammonium salts are, by necessity, ionic substances. Neutral nitrogen can only form three bonds, but if a positive charge is allowed, it can form four (quaternary). Typical chemicals include tetramethylammonium, tetrabutylammonium, and various detergents such as dodecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium (commonly, benzalkonium chloride) with disinfecting properties. Several are liquid at room temperature, making them fully ionic liquids, which is more than can be said of pure water, which is only 10^-7 ionic. As such, they can do lots of ionic things, like conduct. That's why they would be found in wet electrolytics.
Why they don't want them, I have no idea.
Tim
-- Deep Fryer: A very philosophical monk. Website @
Tim Williams schrieb:
Maybe they just want low-ESR caps? Probably solid polymer types?
- Henry
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