CCFlex,
a new wallcovering
from Degussa —
Not tile, not a wallpaper

CCFlex, a new wallcovering from Degussa, is a unique and flexible ceramic that has the handling advantages of standard wallpaper and the resistance of ceramic tile. It looks like a high-quality wall covering, but it behaves more like stone on a surface — no plastic. It’s 100 percent natural, breathable and VOC free. The lightweight wallcovering is scratch- and impact-resistant, chemical- and fire resistant, waterproof, and UV stable.

The four-layer, ceramic wall covering was created in Degussa’s think tank, Creavis Technology and Innovation.

“The basis of CCFlex is a patented technology that allows it to coat a flexible base material, such as polymeric fleece, with ceramic and provide it with an inorganic outer layer in a continuous process,” says Michael Schulze, director of marketing and sales for Creavis Technology and Innovation, the strategic R & D and corporate venturing arm of Degussa. “The properties of the product can then be custom-made for specific applications across a wide range of fields, and there is a great leeway in design selection. Moreover, the flexible ceramic can be furnished with additional functional surface properties such as ‘easy-to-clean.’”

According to Schulze, there is no similar product available.

To use, prep the surface, then apply CCFlex Dispersion Adhesive on the wall. Next, apply CCFlex, which comes in rolls of 70 centimeters by 25 meters, weighing just less than 20 pounds. It can easily be cut into a desired shape or glued around bends, curves or other tricky areas.

CCFlex can be applied to most surfaces. Possible applications include residential, workplace and sanitary areas. Schulze says the product is ideal for hospitals and retirement homes as well as planes, trains and ships because of its light weight, high flame-resistance and durability. When CCFlex was compared with conventional woodchip wallpaper in a flame test, it won hands down. After a flame was applied for 10 seconds to regular wallpaper, it had already turned mostly into ashes. By contrast, the ceramic wall covering only glowed and the fire didn’t spread.

For a decorating contractor, CCFlex can save time and money. Schulze says handling is easier and faster than ceramic tiles, with a similar effect. “A painter can do it together with his other paint jobs; you don’t need a tile layer.”

CCFlex launched this year and Degussa has had a lot of success with the product in Germany, where it originated. “The market is open for innovative materials,” Schulze says. “Customers are searching for solutions that are both decorative and functional.”