Polymer-
ceramic composite articles with relatively
low dissipation factor (Df) and relatively high
dielectric constant (Dk), as well as
polymer-
ceramic core-shell powders and
pellets adapted for making such composite articles. The
ceramic-
polymer composites, in
powder and / or pellet forms, comprise a plurality of core-shell particles, where: each of the core-shell particles comprises a core and a shell around the core; the core comprises a ceramic that is selected from the group of ceramics consisting of: BaTiO3, SrTiO3, TiO2, CaTiO3, MgTiO3, and combinations of any two or more thereof; and the shell comprises a
polymer selected from the group of polymers consisting of:
polyetherimide (PEI),
polyetherimide (PEI) copolymers, polyphenylene
ether (PPE), polyphenylene
sulfide (PPS), polyaryl
ether ketone (PAEK),
polypropylene (PP),
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE),
perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA),
fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP),
ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (
ETFE),
polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and
ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (
ECTFE). The core-shell particles can be in a
powder form (e.g., a
dry powder). In pellet form, shells of adjacent core-shell particles are joined to
resist separation of the adjacent core-shell particles and deformation of a respective pellet. Methods of forming a ceramic- polymer composite comprise:
superheating a mixture of the polymer (PEI, PEI copolymers, PPE, PPS, PAEK, PP, PTFE, PFA, FEP,
ETFE, PVDF, and / or
ECTFE),
solvent, and the ceramic (BaTiO3, SrTiO3, TiO2, CaTiO3, and / or MgTiO3), to dissolve the polymer in the
solvent; agitating the superheated mixture while substantially maintaining the mixture at an elevated
temperature and pressure; and cooling the mixture to cause the polymer to precipitate on the particles of the ceramic and thereby form a plurality of the present polymer-ceramic core-shell particles. Methods of molding a part comprise subjecting a
powder or
pellets of the present polymer-ceramic core-shell particles that substantially fills a mold to a first pressure while the powder is at or above a first temperature above a
glass transition temperature (Tg) or if no Tg then above a
melting temperature (Tm) of the polymers.