3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

Conductive vs PEKK

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

Conductive filament guidePEKK guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Conductive comparisonsMore PEKK comparisons
Conductive vs PEKK — documented properties and sources
PropertyConductive filamentSPECIALTYPEKKHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$170.36/kg median; $89.99–$796.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$525.00/kg median; $332.50–$771.12/kg across 6 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]Polyether ketone ketone, amorphous grade — a polyaryletherketone that stays amorphous, so it does not need PEEK's crystallisation control. Stratasys sells it as Antero 800NA and Antero 840CN03; category numbers below are unfilled unless a carbon grade is named[5][6]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.28 unfilled (ASTM D792, Antero 800NA; 1.31 annealed) and 1.33 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 1183)[6][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 550[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]333-771 across grades and formats; 3DXTech CarbonX PEKK-A+CF15 333 at 2 kg, 3D4Makers unfilled PEKK-A 485 at 2 kg, IEMAI 3D 500 at 1 kg, Kimya PEKK Carbon 771 at 500 g[10][11][12][13][14]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][2]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[10][11][12]
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; 200 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[10][11][6]
Typical applicationsCapacitive touch surfaces, low-current traces, EMI shielding and static-safe fixtures[1]Aerospace interior and structural parts; 3DXTech labels its carbon-filled PEKK-A grade AERO and Stratasys certifies Antero 800NA for outgassing and FST[5][6]
Printing Parameters
Bed temperature°CNot documented140 (3DXTech CarbonX PEKK-A CF15)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Actively heated chamber required[15][16]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[1]Expert / industrial hardware only[15][16]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1]Hardened steel required — the category spans unfilled PEKK, where brass is acceptable, and the carbon-filled aerospace grades that make up most of the market[5][6]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Highly abrasive — most PEKK filament sold is carbon-filled; unfilled Antero 800NA and ThermaX PEKK-A are non-abrasive[5][6]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — Proto-pasta states the carbon-filled grade prints on standard PLA settings with no special nozzle required[1]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]
Moisture Behaviour
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[18]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]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented86.7-90.0 at yield and 73.0 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA on the F900 and Fortus 450mc); 88.8 at break annealed; 126 at break for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 527)[6][5]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented2640-3870 (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA; upper figure annealed); 9125 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 527)[6][5]
Elongation at break%Not documented6.1 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA); 2.3 in ZX; 3.15 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 527)[6][5]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented136 at 5 % strain (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 178 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[6][5]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented3200 (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 8817 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[6][5]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 41.1 J/m XZ and 33.3 J/m ZX; unnotched 1730 J/m XZ against 203 J/m ZX (printed, ASTM D256/D4812, Antero 800NA)[6]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented50.1-59.4 at yield (printed ZX, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA); 56.0 for the ESD grade Antero 840CN03[6][19]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; carbon-black loading at conductive levels embrittles PLA[1]Moderate unfilled — 6.1 % elongation at break in plane; brittle in the carbon-filled grades at 3.15 %[6][5]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedExcellent — holds load for years. Antero 800NA still holds 82 % of its room-temperature ZX tensile strength at 104 °C and 63 % at 132 °C (printed, ASTM D638)[6]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[5]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented56-82 (Antero 800NA and 840CN03 printed on the F900 and Fortus 450mc, ZX against XZ tensile yield and break, ASTM D638)[6][19]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented158 (printed XY and ZX, ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi, Antero 800NA); 285 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa)[6][5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented156-157 (printed, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi, Antero 800NA); moulded 147[6]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented156 (ASTM D7426, Antero 800NA); 165 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[6][5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented300 melt point (ASTM D7426 peak heat, Antero 800NA); 305 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[6][5]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented36.1 in XY and 50.2 in ZX (printed, 40-140 °C, ASTM E831, Antero 800NA); 47.4 and 51.2 for the ESD grade Antero 840CN03[6][19]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift. 1000 h of QUV cycling to ASTM G154 left Antero 800NA's yield strength unchanged at 57 MPa and raised stress at break 3.6 %[6]
Electrical & ESD propertiesConductive rather than dissipative — Proto-pasta sells the grade as electrically conductive composite PLA[1]Unfilled PEKK is an insulator at above 1.4e14 ohm-cm (ASTM D257); CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 sits above 10^7 ohm/sq, and the Antero 840CN03 ESD grade is specified at 10^4-10^9 ohm-cm[6][5][19]
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. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[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]Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[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]Concentrated sulphuric acid, as for PEEK; no common organic solvent touches a polyaryletherketone.[23][24]
Softened or crazed byAcetone and ethyl acetate plasticise a PLA-based grade; a TPU-based grade swells in toluene, esters and alcohols.[21][22]Concentrated sulphuric acid and liquid Freon are the entries Ensinger marks not resistant; acetone, MEK and toluene do nothing.[23]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — neither PLA nor TPU has a workshop-safe welding or smoothing solvent.[21][22]None — no solvent softens a polyaryletherketone.[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. CarbonX Carbon Fiber PEKK-A CF15 Technical Data Sheet v1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Antero 800NA — FDM Material Data Sheet (PEKK-based) Stratasys · 2025-08 · tds
  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. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Kimya PEKK-A Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Kimya PEKK Carbon Grey 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. IEMAI 3D PEKK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  16. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  17. THERMAX PEKK-A — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Antero 840CN03 — FDM Material Data Sheet (PEKK, ESD) Stratasys · 2024-08 · 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. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  24. The Effects of Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone) Ion Exchange Preparation Conditions on Membrane Properties Yee, Zhang & Ladewig, Membranes 3(3) 182–195 · 2013-07 · paper