Sheet in PEEK Ceram 2000x1000 mm white

Ceramic-filled PEEK in sheet form combines two things that rarely go together in the same material: high hardness and electrical insulation. The ceramic filler raises wear resistance and compressive hardness. At the same time the material stays insulating, with a specific volume resistivity around 10^14 ohm·cm, so it does not conduct current even when it is hard and dense. The sheet handles 260 degrees continuously and short peaks toward 300 degrees.

The density is higher than for pure PEEK, around 1.65 g/cm³, because the ceramic filler is heavy. Ball indentation hardness is high, around 286 N/mm², which makes the surface resistant to pressure marks and abrasion. Tensile strength is around 105 MPa. The impact strength of about 35 kJ/m² is clearly better than for many fiber-filled grades, so the material is tougher and not as brittle, which means an edge takes a knock without chipping. Water absorption is negligible, around 0.03 percent, so the part keeps its dimensions in a damp environment. The flammability rating is V0. Thermal conductivity around 0.38 W/mK is somewhat above unreinforced PEEK, which helps even out temperatures in the part. Chemically the resistance is broad against oils, acids, bases and hot water.

The sheet format is the stock for insulating, wear-exposed parts that you mill out of a block. Electrically insulating wear plates and guides in hot processes where a conductive part is not allowed. Contact and support parts where the component has to both insulate electrically and take mechanical wear over time. Bearing blocks and supports in equipment where a conductive material would disturb measurements or create a short circuit. Measuring fixtures where a hard surface and insulation have to sit in the same part. The combination of hard and insulating is the reason for choosing ceramic-filled PEEK over the conductive carbon fiber filled version. If you want hardness but not conduction, this is the grade you are looking for.

In machining, the ceramic filler wears hard on the tools, harder than both glass and carbon fiber. Use sharp carbide or diamond coated tools, moderate feeds and speeds and plenty of coolant to keep the edge temperature down. Expect clearly more frequent edge changes than with pure PEEK and budget for it. The material mills and turns to fine tolerances and a hard, wear-resistant surface. Clamp the blank securely and let the finishing pass take a little extra time for the best surface finish. Drill in stages and clear the chips. Thick blocks can be stress relieved before finish milling so that they hold their shape.

Wear resistance is the property that most often justifies the choice of a ceramic-filled grade. Against abrasive counterfaces the hard ceramic filler keeps the surface intact long after a softer plastic would have been worn down. In operation that means fewer replacements and longer intervals between maintenance. The material also creeps only slightly under load, so a part that has to carry constant pressure over a long time keeps its shape instead of slowly giving way. The combination of a hard surface and low creep makes the grade suitable where the part has to stay dimensionally stable for years.

The electrical insulation is what separates ceramic-filled PEEK from the conductive carbon-filled grade. Here you can have hardness and insulation in the same part, something a carbon fiber filled grade does not offer. The color is typically light to grayish white depending on the filler content. Keep in mind that the high hardness means the tools have to be hard as well, so diamond coated inserts pay off in the long run in series production. For bonding, the surface should be pretreated, since PEEK takes glue reluctantly, and mechanical fastening is often preferable. If you are unsure whether the hardness is really needed or whether a glass-filled grade is enough, we will help you weigh cost against function.

One thing to keep in mind when designing is to use the hardness where it does the most good. Put the wearing function on the surfaces that actually rub, and save material and machining time on the rest of the part. Since ceramic-filled PEEK is one of the more expensive grades, it pays to draw the part so that you do not mill away more expensive material than necessary. Hollow bar or sheets in the right thickness help keep the waste down.

Ceram means ceramic reinforced.

Sheets come in various thicknesses and are cut to blanks per drawing. Does the part need both hardness and electrical insulation, or is another PEEK grade enough for your function? Describe the requirements and we will pick the grade together based on load, temperature and electrical properties.

The large 2000 x 1000 mm format in white ceramic reinforced PEEK yields many insulating parts out of a single sheet, which suits series production.