Why is it not possible to get the MCP73864 anywhere? Is there any other IC that will do the job?



Edit : Please do not hijack other member's thread, so I separated it from the original thread as below, and you have your own thread.
7.4V Li Ion battery charging from USB.

 

Why is it not possible to get the MCP73864 anywhere? Is there any other IC that will do the job?

Because the demand for them is too low to justify stocking a chip that does not sell in large quantities. If you wanted to order 1000 pieces then a distributor might have some interest.
Edit: The chip has gone EOL (End of Life) ca. 2013; that explains a great deal.
http://www.microchip.com/wwwproducts/Devices.aspx?product=MCP73864

 

It says here that Element14 has 8 of them:
https://octopart.com/search?q=MCP73864&start=0

Because it is no longer made you idea of a newer part is a good one. I cannot help you there since I have never done a lithium battery charger.

edit: fixed typo to add that Element14 has 8 of the part.

 

Seb1929 may live on the other side of the planet and not have access to the same resources available to us.

 

Seb1929 may live on the other side of the planet and not have access to the same resources available to us.

Good point!

And... Even if he lives right next door to the Element14 warehouse he may not want to use the obsolete part. Note that the link I gave shows that Element14 is the _only_ company that seems to have any _real_ stocked parts for sale.