Glass bonded mica is one of the older high performance materials, having been in commercial use since 1921. It is exactly what the generic name implies, a molding compound formulated of glass and mica. Glass bonded mica materials have served the market for products requiring complete dimensional stability, and for high frequency, high voltage and high temperature applications. Globally, material specialists have applied the product name of "CERAMOPLASTIC" to Mykroy/ Mycalex's unique glass bonded mica material product line. Mykroy/Mycalex is a stone-like, dense, inorganic material possessing great mechanical strength. It can be easily machined to close tolerances or injection molded into intricate shapes with or without metal inserts.

Mykroy/Mycalex's unique high performance technical ceramic is a union of finely powdered electrical quality glass and precisely defined classified mica. The union of the mica and glass takes place in the epoch of extreme heat and pressure to transform the materials into a new composition that inherits all the insulating advantages of both of the ingredients. The tiny glass globules actually absorb the mica flakes, join with one another and weld the particles into a single mass. To preserve the valuable dielectric properties of mica to the fullest extent, it is essential the mica retains its identity. This is accomplished, without sacrificing the quality of the bond, by halting the process at the point where the glass begins to alloy with the edges of the mica.

Mykroy/Mycalex glass bonded mica materials are today's most versatile and efficient insulating material developed and refined to meet the exacting demands of contemporaneous technical markets, worldwide. Ceramoplastic is an excellent alternative to ceramics and organic plastics. Glass bonded mica is linked to ceramic materials because it is, as are the more readily identifiable ceramics, composed of inorganic earths fired to give stability to the final shape. However with ceramics, during the firing (to achieve their final vitreous form) process a certain amount of distortion occurs, which limits the degree of dimensional control available.

Although a kinship does unquestionably exist, an important difference distinguishes glass bonded mica. This difference is in the manner of using pressure and heat in the manufacture of ceramoplastic. Pressure may be employed in the forming of ceramics, but it is not applied simultaneously with heat. In the making of Mykroy/Mycalex on the contrary, the astounding dividing line of the operation is achieved when high heat and extreme pressure are combined to transform the raw materials into the final product.

Ceramoplastic materials are analogous with organic plastics injection molding techniques. Mykroy/Mycalex glass bonded mica can be injection molded with or without metal insets, just like thermoplastics. Ceramoplastics are inorganically unique and as such manifest nearly no shrinkage at cycle end. The result is a finished piece part that needs absolutely no post firing operations. Many organic plastics are not dimensionally precise materials and as such numerous failures result from inadequate thermal, moisture, age and differential expansion properties. Organic plastics should not be used for products that must maintain precision dimensions over long periods of time. Conversely, ceramoplastics are of few inorganic moldable/machinable materials with total dimensional stability suitable for long-term precision products.

Contact Mykroy/Mycalex's Product Manager/Sr. Engineer for material and application assistance.