3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-ESD vs PEI 9085

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

ESD-safe ABS guidePEI (ULTEM 9085) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-ESD comparisonsMore PEI 9085 comparisons
ABS-ESD vs PEI 9085 — documented properties and sources
PropertyESD-safe ABSABSPEI (ULTEM 9085)HIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$102.50/kg median; $47.00–$166.67/kg across 4 dated product listings$309.80/kg median; $220.00–$392.00/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS compounded with a conductive carbon filler for static-dissipative parts[1]Polyetherimide, ULTEM 9085 grade — the flame-retardant PEI used for aircraft interiors[2]
Densityg/cm³1.09 (ISO 1183)[1]1.34 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech) against 1.27 specific gravity on moulded plaques (ASTM D792, Stratasys) — the two suppliers disagree[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 47–167; the middle of the market is about 103[4][5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 298[4][7][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg47–167 across brands; IEMAI 47, YXPOLYER 65, 3DXTech 140 at 750 g pricing; the EMI-shielding ABS grade runs 167[4][5][6]220-392 across brands and formats; 3DXTech ThermaX PEI 9085 220 at 2 kg, 3D4Makers 270 at 2 kg, Fiberlogy 298 at 500 g, Kimya 321 at 500 g, IEMAI 3D 385 at 1 kg, 3DXTech CarbonX PEI 9085+CF 392[4][7][8][9][10]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][7][8][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 250 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[4][9][3]
Typical applicationsElectronics handling fixtures, trays and jigs used around static-sensitive parts[1]Aircraft interior parts and rail rolling stock, where the flame, smoke and toxicity rating is the requirement[2]
Printing Parameters
Bed temperature°CNot documented130–140 (3DXTech)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[11]Actively heated chamber required[12][13]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[11][14]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[11]Severe — heated chamber needed[12]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[11]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[15]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[11]Expert / industrial hardware only[12][13]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[12]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for its ESD-ABS, only an 80 °C pre-dry[16]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[17]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[14]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[14]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the ABS matrix takes up 0.51–0.65 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 80 °C, 4 h pre-dry[18][19][16]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[20]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam in the hotend and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[20]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[17]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[20]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa58 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — the conductive filler raises strength above the unfilled grade's 42[1][21]63-77 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Stratasys F900/F3300/Fortus 450mc, three tips and two colours); 54 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech)[3][2]
Young's modulusMPa2130 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]2040-2540 (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Stratasys); 2050 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech)[3][2]
Elongation at break%4 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]5.4-9.1 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Stratasys); 1.9-4.3 in ZX; 3DXTech quotes 3 (ISO 527)[3][2]
Flexural strengthMPa80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]104-116 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D790 Procedure A, Stratasys); 72-98 in ZX; 3DXTech quotes 90 (ISO 178)[3][2]
Flexural modulusMPa2275 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2400-2550 (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Stratasys F900 T16 and T16A) against 2120-2130 in ZX; 3DXTech quotes 2170 (ISO 178)[3][2]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 88.5-140 J/m XZ against 37-80 J/m ZX; unnotched 647-2260 J/m XZ against 169-633 J/m ZX (printed, ASTM D256/D4812, Stratasys, across three printers and three tips)[3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented39-63 at break (printed ZX, ASTM D638, Stratasys); the low end is the F900 T16 baseline, the high end the F3300 N500 hot end[3]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M110 / R126 on extruded PEI stock (ASTM D785)[22]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1]Excellent — holds load for years. Printed ZX coupons keep 87 % of room-temperature tensile strength at 104 °C and 70 % at 132 °C (ASTM D638); extruded PEI stock is rated 170 °C long-term service[3][22]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break 4 %, well below unfilled ABS[1][21]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented56-86 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638, across F900/F3300/Fortus 450mc and T16/T20/T40A tips); 58 on the F900 T16 baseline[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented158 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech) to 178 (printed XY 178.2 and ZX 178.4, ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi, Stratasys); moulded 176.9[2][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented170-173 (printed XY 170.2 and ZX 172.6, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi); moulded 172.9[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]177 (moulded plaque, ASTM D7426 inflection point, Stratasys); 186 (DSC, 3DXTech)[3][2][23]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented170 long-term service on extruded PEI stock, converted from 338 °F; 200 short term[22]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented44.9 (printed XY, -50 to 80 °C, ASTM E831), falling to 31.4 over 80-160 °C; ZX gives 44.5 over -50 to 60 °C. Black pigment raises it to 51.9[3]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm on the base resin. Printed parts are tested to 14 CFR 25.853, BSS 7238 and 7239 and AITM 2.0007B and 3.0005 covering 60 s and 12 s vertical burn, 15 s horizontal burn, smoke density, toxic gas emission and OSU heat release[2][3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift. 1000 h of QUV cycling to ASTM G154 left printed ZX coupons at 55.5 MPa yield against 56.0 unexposed, with elongation and modulus unchanged[3]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[24]Not documented
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[15]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[15]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[15]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance 10⁷–10⁹ ohm/sq, the static-dissipative band (ASTM D257), against above 10¹³ for unfilled ABS[1][21]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[25][11]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[25]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[25]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median across all ABS printers, two orders of magnitude above PLA's ≈1 × 10⁸[25]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedStyrene dominates. Bambu Lab states ABS and ASA release harmful gases such as styrene at printing temperature, which can be toxic and cause dizziness or nausea[25][11]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[25][11]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25]
Dust & fibre handling hazardConductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[15]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[15]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[26][11]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[27][24]Chlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane and chloroform — are solvents for polyetherimide. Laboratory reagents.[28][27]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[27][29]Acetone, MEK, benzene, toluene and butyl acetate craze or stress-crack it; alcohols, fuels and dilute acids do not.[27][28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[30]Dichloromethane is the only welding route, and it is a controlled carcinogen rather than a workshop material.[28][27]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. 3DXSTAT ESD-ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. ThermaX PEI 9085 Technical Data Sheet v4 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. ULTEM 9085 Resin — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2026-04 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. IEMAI ESD-ABS 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. YXPOLYER ABS ESD product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Kimya PEI-9085 Natural 2.85 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Fiberlogy PEI 9085 Natural, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. IEMAI 3D PEI 9085 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  13. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  14. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. 3DXSTAT ESD-ABS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  17. THERMAX PEI 9085 — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  20. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. 3DXMAX ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  22. TECAPEI natural (PEI) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. ThermaX PEI 1010 Technical Data Sheet v4 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  24. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  25. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  26. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  29. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc