Every hot object radiates some infrared energy — a PTC infrared heating element is just engineered to do it efficiently and safely at a controlled, stable temperature rather than by accident.

The short answer

A PTC infrared heating element is a self-regulating PTC ceramic core — the same core described in how does a PTC heating element work — built or mounted so its radiating surface emits infrared energy efficiently, typically paired with a conductive spreader material to increase the effective radiating area.

What affects infrared output

• Surface temperature. Set by the element’s Curie point — higher target temperatures generally increase infrared output, within the ceramic’s rated range.
• Radiating surface area. A larger, evenly heated surface radiates more total infrared energy — this is why copper or metal spreaders are often paired with the ceramic core.
• Surface finish and material. Emissivity varies by surface treatment and material, affecting how efficiently heat converts to radiated infrared energy.

Designing an infrared element from the ceramic core outward

The design process typically starts with the target infrared output and coverage area, working backward to determine the required ceramic wattage, Curie point, and spreader surface size. This is different from designing a forced-air element, where airflow rate is the main lever — for infrared, radiating surface geometry and material carry much more of the design weight.

PTCWORKS formulates the ceramic core used in infrared designs — Heating Chip is the bare-element starting point for OEM buyers building their own radiating assembly. Contact our team with your target output and radiating area.

See what is a copper PTC infrared heater for how this element gets built into a complete infrared heating product.

Explore the PTCWORKS homepage for an overview of our full product range, or keep reading on the PTCWORKS blog for more guides like this one.