3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

Conductive vs PA blend

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

Conductive filament guidePA6/66 copolymer blends guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Conductive comparisonsMore PA blend comparisons
Conductive vs PA blend — documented properties and sources
PropertyConductive filamentSPECIALTYPA6/66 copolymer blendsPA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$170.36/kg median; $89.99–$796.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$65.62/kg median; $62.00–$113.33/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryA carbon-filled compound conductive by volume rather than merely dissipative; Proto-pasta's is PLA-based, Recreus's and NinjaTek's are TPU, and add:north's Koltron G1 does not state its base polymer[1][2][3][4]PA6/66 copolymer — a nylon alloy that lowers the melting point and improves printability against straight PA6[5][6]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.12 (ISO 1183, Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 90–181 for the carbon-filled grades; add:north's Koltron G1 sits far above at 796 because it is sold only in 100 and 250 g coils[7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 65[10][11][12]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg90–796 across brands; Proto-pasta conductive PLA 90 at 1 kg, Recreus Conductive Filaflex 160 at 500 g, NinjaTek Eel 181 at 1 kg, add:north Koltron G1 796 at 250 g[7][2][8][9]62–113 across brands; add:north Adura 62, PrimaCreator NylonPower PA6/66 65 at 500 g, Polymaker CoPA 67, 3DXTech AmideX Nylon 6-66 113[10][13][11][12]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][2]Available from several mainstream brands[10][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[7][2][8][9]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[10][13][11][12]
Typical applicationsCapacitive touch surfaces, low-current traces, EMI shielding and static-safe fixtures[1]General-purpose nylon parts and, unusually, CoPA can support itself if the support is removed before it absorbs moisture[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented250–270 (Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–50 (Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a chamber at ambient temperature[5]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented16 at Polymaker's 200 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[5][14]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[1]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; must be kept below 20 % RH throughout[5][15]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[16]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[16]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — Proto-pasta states the carbon-filled grade prints on standard PLA settings with no special nozzle required[1]Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[17][15]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedVery high (>2 %) — Polymaker's own wet-state specimens reached 6.16 % moisture content after 48 h immersion at 60 °C[5][15]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[17]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[15]Measured dry against wet on printed specimens at 6.16 % moisture (Polymaker CoPA): tensile 78.0 → 34.3 MPa, Young's modulus 2703 → 724 MPa, flexural strength 109.8 → 22.6 MPa, while notched Charpy rises 6.9 → 27.7 kJ/m² and elongation 12.7 → 13.2 %[5][17]
Storage requirementNot documentedPolymaker states CoPA must always be stored and used below 20 % relative humidity[5]
Hydrolysis at melt temperatureNot documentedPolymaker requires a 100 °C dry for 8 h and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the published wet data is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[5][18]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented78.0 ± 0.7 printed XY dry and 34.3 ± 2.5 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented2703 ± 259 printed XY dry and 724 ± 61 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Elongation at break%Not documented12.7 ± 2.1 printed XY dry and 13.2 ± 2.3 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented109.8 ± 1.3 printed XY dry and 22.6 ± 0.5 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented2510 ± 25 printed XY dry and 636 ± 11 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented6.9 ± 1.4 printed XY dry and 27.7 ± 1.2 wet, ISO 179 notched (Polymaker CoPA) — impact quadruples when conditioned[5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented45.8 ± 1.5 printed Z dry, falling to 13.7 ± 1.2 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; carbon-black loading at conductive levels embrittles PLA[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[5]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedShore D 86 and Rockwell 85 (108) — the source does not name the scales on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D2240, D785)[19]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedExcellent — living hinges viable[16]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[17]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented59 dry (45.8 Z against 78.0 XY) and 40 wet, printed[5]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented111 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented70 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented66 (DSC, Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented189 melting (DSC); Vicat 180, crystallisation 148, decomposition 370 (Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Annealing responseNot documented80 °C for 6 h (Polymaker CoPA)[5]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented81.0 on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D696; source states 4.5e-5 in/in/°F) — the same chemistry as a PA6/66 copolymer[19]
Environment & Chemical
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedAbsorbs water, properties shift — 6.16 % uptake cost 56 % of tensile strength and 73 % of modulus[5]
Electrical & ESD propertiesConductive rather than dissipative — Proto-pasta sells the grade as electrically conductive composite PLA[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[20]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[20]
VOC emission rateµg/minNot documentedUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon; total VOC reached nearly 200 µg/min, the highest of the nine filaments tested[20]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[20]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[20]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[20]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[20]
Dust & fibre handling hazardConductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Support material pairingNot documentedCoPA can support itself, but Polymaker warns the support bonds permanently if it absorbs moisture before removal[5]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves PLA-based grades, leaving the carbon black; TPU-based grades need DMF, NMP or THF. Laboratory reagents.[21][22]Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid above ~50 %, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — laboratory reagents.[23]
Softened or crazed byAcetone and ethyl acetate plasticise a PLA-based grade; a TPU-based grade swells in toluene, esters and alcohols.[21][22]Zinc chloride solutions stress-crack it — 10 % marginal, 37 % not resistant; alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it.[23]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — neither PLA nor TPU has a workshop-safe welding or smoothing solvent.[21][22]None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[23]

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. Electrically Conductive Composite PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. Eel 3D Printing Filament Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Koltron G1 Technical Data Sheet add:north · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. AmideX Nylon 6-66 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Eel product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. add:north Koltron G1 product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. add:north Adura product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PrimaCreator SELECT NylonPower PA6/66 product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  19. TECAMID 66 natural (PA66) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  20. 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
  21. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  22. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds