"SP-Cap" has a benign failure mode for short circuit failure as compared to conventional tantalum capacitors in that they will not burn or explode. There are three elements for combustion to occur. First is a heat source, second is oxygen and third is fuel. The heat source is generated from the current flow through the short circuit failure in the capacitor’s dielectric film, whether aluminum oxide or tantalum pentoxide. The source of oxygen is very different for the two types of capacitors. Tantalum capacitors have magnesium dioxide electrolyte which will release oxygen at high temperatures and help “fuel the fire”. "SP-Cap" does not have any oxygen in the conductive polymer so there is no oxygen to release. The third point is the fuel, which would be a comparison of the ignition of tantalum versus aluminum. Tantalum is much easier to ignite than aluminum since it has a lower flash point and activation energy. With the higher flash point and activation energy of aluminum, the "SP-Cap" is more difficult to burn than tantalum capacitors. A test was conducted with a 5 A short circuit and the tantalum capacitor ignited and burned while the "SP-Cap" had no ignition.