https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-newly-metallic-material-thermal-upends.html

Copper currently dominates the global heat-sink market, accounting
for roughly 30% of commercial thermal-management materials, with
a thermal conductivity of about 400 watts per meter-kelvin.

The UCLA-led team found that metallic theta-phase tantalum
nitride, in contrast, has an ultrahigh thermal conductivity
of approximately 1,100 W/mK, setting a new benchmark for
metallic materials and redefining what is possible for heat
transport in metals.

. . .

The new stuff is a sort-of metal ... a particular crystalline
config of tantalum nitride.

While still not a superconductor, a 2.5x boost in heat
conductivity can make a HUGE difference with IC chips.
What if you can run yer boxes with 80,000 Nvidia chips
30% faster, yet spend less on cooling them ?

Can this be easily commercialized ? Stay tuned ...


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

{Note Followups-To]

On 2026-01-21, c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-newly-metallic-material-thermal-upends.html

Copper currently dominates the global heat-sink market, accounting
for roughly 30% of commercial thermal-management materials, with
a thermal conductivity of about 400 watts per meter-kelvin.

The UCLA-led team found that metallic theta-phase tantalum
nitride, in contrast, has an ultrahigh thermal conductivity
of approximately 1,100 W/mK, setting a new benchmark for
metallic materials and redefining what is possible for heat
transport in metals.

. . .

The new stuff is a sort-of metal ... a particular crystalline
config of tantalum nitride.

While still not a superconductor, a 2.5x boost in heat
conductivity can make a HUGE difference with IC chips.
What if you can run yer boxes with 80,000 Nvidia chips
30% faster, yet spend less on cooling them ?

Can this be easily commercialized ? Stay tuned ...

I seem to remember that tantalum is one of those metals mined in open
pits in the Congo. A "conflict mineral".
--
Lars Poulsen - an old geek in Santa Barbara, California

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 1/20/26 22:56, Lars Poulsen wrote:

{Note Followups-To]

On 2026-01-21, c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-newly-metallic-material-thermal-upends.html

Copper currently dominates the global heat-sink market, accounting
for roughly 30% of commercial thermal-management materials, with
a thermal conductivity of about 400 watts per meter-kelvin.

The UCLA-led team found that metallic theta-phase tantalum
nitride, in contrast, has an ultrahigh thermal conductivity
of approximately 1,100 W/mK, setting a new benchmark for
metallic materials and redefining what is possible for heat
transport in metals.

. . .

The new stuff is a sort-of metal ... a particular crystalline
config of tantalum nitride.

While still not a superconductor, a 2.5x boost in heat
conductivity can make a HUGE difference with IC chips.
What if you can run yer boxes with 80,000 Nvidia chips
30% faster, yet spend less on cooling them ?

Can this be easily commercialized ? Stay tuned ...

I seem to remember that tantalum is one of those metals mined in open
pits in the Congo. A "conflict mineral".

Not sure.

Also not sure I'm on board with the "conflict <whatever>"
designation. Conflicts seem eternal, and every nation and
faction always raises money any way it can. Note that most
US uranium comes from what WERE 'native lands' confiscated
rather recently "because we needed uranium". In short, there
is no way to avoid 'conflict <whatever>' and defs will vary
quite widely.

In any case, likely rather small amounts of tantalum will
be needed ... relatively thin film heat dissipating elements.


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

{Note Followups-To} ==== means ====> do not post on comp.os.linux.misc

On 2026-01-21 01:08, c186282 wrote:

ÿ While still not a superconductor, a 2.5x boost in heat
ÿ conductivity can make a HUGE difference with IC chips.
ÿ What if you can run yer boxes with 80,000 Nvidia chips
ÿ 30% faster, yet spend less on cooling them ?

The metal sink just moves the heat away from the chip a few centimetres,
but then it still has to be moved out from the chasis, and then out of
the room. The room AC remains being the same. Or water cooling.

--
Cheers, Carlos.
ES??, EU??;

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 1/21/26 12:34, Ian wrote:

c186282 wrote:

On 1/20/26 22:56, Lars Poulsen wrote:

{Note Followups-To]

On 2026-01-21, c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-newly-metallic-material-thermal-upends.html

Copper currently dominates the global heat-sink market, accounting
for roughly 30% of commercial thermal-management materials, with
a thermal conductivity of about 400 watts per meter-kelvin.

The UCLA-led team found that metallic theta-phase tantalum
nitride, in contrast, has an ultrahigh thermal conductivity
of approximately 1,100 W/mK, setting a new benchmark for
metallic materials and redefining what is possible for heat
transport in metals.

. . .

The new stuff is a sort-of metal ... a particular crystalline
config of tantalum nitride.

While still not a superconductor, a 2.5x boost in heat
conductivity can make a HUGE difference with IC chips.
What if you can run yer boxes with 80,000 Nvidia chips
30% faster, yet spend less on cooling them ?

Can this be easily commercialized ? Stay tuned ...

I seem to remember that tantalum is one of those metals mined in open
pits in the Congo. A "conflict mineral".

Not sure.

Also not sure I'm on board with the "conflict <whatever>"
designation. Conflicts seem eternal, and every nation and
faction always raises money any way it can. Note that most
US uranium comes from what WERE 'native lands' confiscated
rather recently "because we needed uranium". In short, there
is no way to avoid 'conflict <whatever>' and defs will vary
quite widely.

In any case, likely rather small amounts of tantalum will
be needed ... relatively thin film heat dissipating elements.

However, almost all electronic devices contain tantalum capacitors these days.

They ARE popular - and good. Not SURE why tantalum
is SO much better than, say, aluminum however.

And, frankly, I barely give a shit where the tantalum
comes from. Are the people running the mines 'good'
guys or 'bad' guys - or something distinct from the
old Euro defs of such things ? The world isn't all
about US.


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 1/21/26 15:59, Carlos E.R. wrote:

{Note Followups-To} ==== means ====> do not post on comp.os.linux.misc

On 2026-01-21 01:08, c186282 wrote:

ÿÿ While still not a superconductor, a 2.5x boost in heat
ÿÿ conductivity can make a HUGE difference with IC chips.
ÿÿ What if you can run yer boxes with 80,000 Nvidia chips
ÿÿ 30% faster, yet spend less on cooling them ?

The metal sink just moves the heat away from the chip a few centimetres,
but then it still has to be moved out from the chasis, and then out of
the room. The room AC remains being the same. Or water cooling.

Well, if you can move it to that larger sink a
lot FASTER then you have a great advantage. The
main thing is to get the heat out of the CHIPS.
Of course the same total heat is generated, but
perhaps easier to MANAGE. Copper-bar/pipe heat
conduits are CHEAP, but the chips are VALUABLE.

IF you can get higher performance without using
liquid (or worse) cooling methods then you're
well ahead of the game.

Some years back I read an article about 'pushers',
people out to get THE max out of CPUs. Some would
literally grind away all the ceramic and such on
top of the actual electronics, then bathe them
in water or silicone - sometimes even a liquid
nitrogen drip. Double-speed WAS possible, but
only at high expense/complexity.


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 22/01/2026 04:09, c186282 wrote:

They ARE popular - and good. Not SURE why tantalum
ÿ is SO much better than, say, aluminum however.

Tantalum used to be used in military grade capacitors because it lasted
better and took more abuse.

ÿ And, frankly, I barely give a shit where the tantalum
ÿ comes from. Are the people running the mines 'good'
ÿ guys or 'bad' guys - or something distinct from the
ÿ old Euro defs of such things ? The world isn't all
ÿ about US.

The US experience can be summarised in three words

Ignorance is Bliss.


--
?It is hard to imagine a more stupid decision or more dangerous way of
making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people
who pay no price for being wrong.?

Thomas Sowell


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 1/22/26 05:03, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

On 22/01/2026 04:09, c186282 wrote:

They ARE popular - and good. Not SURE why tantalum
ÿÿ is SO much better than, say, aluminum however.

Tantalum used to be used in military grade capacitors because it lasted better and took more abuse.

ÿÿ And, frankly, I barely give a shit where the tantalum
ÿÿ comes from. Are the people running the mines 'good'
ÿÿ guys or 'bad' guys - or something distinct from the
ÿÿ old Euro defs of such things ? The world isn't all
ÿÿ about US.

The US experience can be summarised in three words

Ignorance is Bliss.

Don't knock it :-)

And NEVER ask where yer food comes from.

'Evil' people and 'evil' ways are involved in
getting almost everything we need want and use.
Drop the 'white guilt' bullshit. Yer morning
coffee is picked by de-facto slaves in S.America,
yer diamond ring was mined by de-facto slaves
in S.Africa. Your ballpark hot-dog is goop
left over from shredding animals. Your infrastructure
is tended by imports/illegals treated as de-facto
slaves at various times and places. Yer lithium batts
involve lots of slaves. Yer PC has parts assembled
by de-facto slaves. You could not afford a sanitized
fully 'ethical' existence - just a bug-infested
leaky pine-needle hut for you to starve in.

Whomever takes over the 'west' will treat everyone
THERE as slaves. Their 'ethic' will be different.
The first book of laws ever writ,the 'code of
ur-nammu', had a bunch of rules that applied to
slaves.

Hmmmm ... now I want some hot-dogs for dinner .......


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 22/01/2026 18:05, c186282 wrote:

On 1/22/26 05:03, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

On 22/01/2026 04:09, c186282 wrote:

They ARE popular - and good. Not SURE why tantalum
ÿÿ is SO much better than, say, aluminum however.

Tantalum used to be used in military grade capacitors because it
lasted better and took more abuse.

ÿÿ And, frankly, I barely give a shit where the tantalum
ÿÿ comes from. Are the people running the mines 'good'
ÿÿ guys or 'bad' guys - or something distinct from the
ÿÿ old Euro defs of such things ? The world isn't all
ÿÿ about US.

The US experience can be summarised in three words

Ignorance is Bliss.

ÿ Don't knock itÿ :-)

I wasn't....

ÿ And NEVER ask where yer food comes from.

ÿ 'Evil' people and 'evil' ways are involved in
ÿ getting almost everything we need want and use.
ÿ Drop the 'white guilt' bullshit. Yer morning
ÿ coffee is picked by de-facto slaves in S.America,

No. well paid workers in Kenya...

ÿ yer diamond ring was mined by de-facto slaves
ÿ in S.Africa.

I don't have a diamond ring or any jewellery in fact

Your ballpark hot-dog is goop
ÿ left over from shredding animals.

So what. I don't eat hot dogs and there are no ball parks here (hint: ignorance is bliss)

Your infrastructure
ÿ is tended by imports/illegals treated as de-facto
ÿ slaves at various times and places.

It isn't.

Yer lithium batts
ÿ involve lots of slaves. Yer PC has parts assembled
ÿ by de-facto slaves. You could not afford a sanitized
ÿ fully 'ethical' existence - just a bug-infested
ÿ leaky pine-needle hut for you to starve in.

ÿ Whomever takes over the 'west' will treat everyone
ÿ THERE as slaves. Their 'ethic' will be different.
ÿ The first book of laws ever writ,the 'code of
ÿ ur-nammu', had a bunch of rules that applied to
ÿ slaves.

ÿ Hmmmm ... now I want some hot-dogs for dinner .......

I'm already cooking scrag end of lamb stew....

Everybody is a slave to something.

My point was merely that in the USA its mainly slaves to ignorance...
Americans are dumb, happy and ignorant. Well enjoy it while it lasts.


--
There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale
returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.

Mark Twain


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 1/22/26 13:55, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

On 22/01/2026 18:05, c186282 wrote:

On 1/22/26 05:03, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

On 22/01/2026 04:09, c186282 wrote:

They ARE popular - and good. Not SURE why tantalum
ÿÿ is SO much better than, say, aluminum however.

Tantalum used to be used in military grade capacitors because it
lasted better and took more abuse.

ÿÿ And, frankly, I barely give a shit where the tantalum
ÿÿ comes from. Are the people running the mines 'good'
ÿÿ guys or 'bad' guys - or something distinct from the
ÿÿ old Euro defs of such things ? The world isn't all
ÿÿ about US.

The US experience can be summarised in three words

Ignorance is Bliss.

ÿÿ Don't knock itÿ :-)

I wasn't....

ÿÿ And NEVER ask where yer food comes from.

ÿÿ 'Evil' people and 'evil' ways are involved in
ÿÿ getting almost everything we need want and use.
ÿÿ Drop the 'white guilt' bullshit. Yer morning
ÿÿ coffee is picked by de-facto slaves in S.America,

No. well paid workers in Kenya...

Is that what they tell you ? :-)

Probably have sunny AI pix of happy bean-pickers too.

ÿÿ yer diamond ring was mined by de-facto slaves
ÿÿ in S.Africa.

I don't have a diamond ring or any jewellery in fact

Neither do I ... not wired for 'bling', more a
jeans/T/biker-boots guy. But lots of people DO
have such bling, lots and lots of people. They
don't ask WHO was enslaving WHAT miners (this week).

ÿ Your ballpark hot-dog is goop
ÿÿ left over from shredding animals.

So what. I don't eat hot dogs and there are no ball parks here (hint: ignorance is bliss)

UK ? What's the snack for cricket audiences ?

The snacks for football audiences are lidocaine,
bone splints and emergency transfusion kits :-)

ÿ Your infrastructure
ÿÿ is tended by imports/illegals treated as de-facto
ÿÿ slaves at various times and places.

It isn't.

Look more closely sometime ...

ÿÿ Yer lithium batts
ÿÿ involve lots of slaves. Yer PC has parts assembled
ÿÿ by de-facto slaves. You could not afford a sanitized
ÿÿ fully 'ethical' existence - just a bug-infested
ÿÿ leaky pine-needle hut for you to starve in.

ÿÿ Whomever takes over the 'west' will treat everyone
ÿÿ THERE as slaves. Their 'ethic' will be different.
ÿÿ The first book of laws ever writ,the 'code of
ÿÿ ur-nammu', had a bunch of rules that applied to
ÿÿ slaves.

ÿÿ Hmmmm ... now I want some hot-dogs for dinner .......

I'm already cooking scrag end of lamb stew....

I ate the beef hot-dogs.

Half a convenience-store 'Italian' sub and
some peanuts today.

Maybe splurge on some KFC tomorrow.

Packaged turkey slices for Saturday ...

Haute cuisine eh ? :-)

Everybody is a slave to something.

My point was merely that in the USA its mainly slaves to ignorance... Americans are dumb, happy and ignorant. Well enjoy it while it lasts.

The more you look at history the more obvious it
becomes that any group you pick has been both slave
and enslaver, conquered and conqueror - often more
than once. Seems to be the human way of doing things.

Hmmm ... seems the only way to 'get ahead', get
enough money and stuff to push above and beyond,
is to trick/coerce some OTHER people into doing
all the heavy lifting for cheap.

But, if a 19 year horrible lifespan in a dung
hut appeals to you.

Of course the Robo-Slaves are supposed to fix
all that ....... but, no robo-slaves without
9000 years of human slaves funding development.


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

In comp.os.linux.misc c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:

They ARE popular - and good. Not SURE why tantalum
is SO much better than, say, aluminum however.

They provide a higher capacitance per unit volume, and a significantly
lower equivalent series resistance (ESR) (~ 10x lower), than aluminum electrolytic capacitors.

The very low ESR make them more useful for high frequency filtering
than aluminum electrolytics.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.10
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 1/31/26 22:43, Rich wrote:

In comp.os.linux.misc c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:

They ARE popular - and good. Not SURE why tantalum
is SO much better than, say, aluminum however.

They provide a higher capacitance per unit volume, and a significantly
lower equivalent series resistance (ESR) (~ 10x lower), than aluminum electrolytic capacitors.

The very low ESR make them more useful for high frequency filtering
than aluminum electrolytics.

Very good.

Not sure WHY the ESR ... but perhaps electron
velocity IS higher in tantalum which would be
a help for high-freq and quick-discharge apps.

Oh, saw a news blurb last week sometime saying
that a new tantalum source had been found in
the USA.


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.10
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 01/02/2026 03:43, Rich wrote:

In comp.os.linux.misc c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:

They ARE popular - and good. Not SURE why tantalum
is SO much better than, say, aluminum however.

They provide a higher capacitance per unit volume, and a significantly
lower equivalent series resistance (ESR) (~ 10x lower), than aluminum electrolytic capacitors.

The very low ESR make them more useful for high frequency filtering
than aluminum electrolytics.

In my day they were the ONLY [electrolytic] capacitor rated for +125øC operation. They could also withstand a bit of reverse voltage

We used nothing else in avionics


--
The theory of Communism may be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all
private property.

Karl Marx



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.10
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2/1/26 06:00, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

On 01/02/2026 03:43, Rich wrote:

In comp.os.linux.misc c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> wrote:

ÿÿ They ARE popular - and good. Not SURE why tantalum
ÿÿ is SO much better than, say, aluminum however.

They provide a higher capacitance per unit volume, and a significantly
lower equivalent series resistance (ESR) (~ 10x lower), than aluminum
electrolytic capacitors.

The very low ESR make them more useful for high frequency filtering
than aluminum electrolytics.

In my day they were the ONLY [electrolytic] capacitor rated for +125øC operation. They could also withstand a bit of reverse voltage

We used nothing else in avionics

I'll have to look into the chemistry. Clearly
the electrolyte created a film more resistant
to heat than the one used with aluminum caps.



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.10
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)