3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA aramid vs PA12-GF

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

Aramid-fibre nylon guideGlass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA aramid comparisonsMore PA12-GF comparisons
PA aramid vs PA12-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyAramid-fibre nylonPAGlass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshotsNot documented$130.67/kg median; $46.00–$140.18/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryAramid-fibre reinforced polyamide[1]PA12 reinforced with chopped glass fibre — 3DXTech's grade is nominally 30 wt%[2]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.23 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg-equivalent spools span 46–140; the middle of the market is about 88[3][4][5]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented46–140 across brands; IEMAI 3D 46, 3DXTech 131 at 750 g and 130 at 2 kg, PrimaCreator NylonPower Glass Fiber 140 at 500 g[3][4][5]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide — no aramid-filled nylon filament was found in any catalogue searched; the aramid filaments that do exist in the retail market use an ASA matrix[6][3]Available from several mainstream brands[3][4]
Spool sizes & diametersNot documented1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools[3][5]
Typical applicationsNot documentedStiff, humidity-stable structural parts — the glass gives the modulus, the PA12 matrix limits the moisture drift[2][7]
Printing Parameters
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — as for every nylon[1]Enclosure required (passive)[1]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[8][1]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds a specific surface plus adhesive[8]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed[1]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedAdvanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[1]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — no aramid-filled nylon datasheet was obtainable; Polymaker measures about 9 h of brass nozzle life on its fibre-filled nylons[9]Hardened steel required — no nozzle-life figure is published for a PA12-GF30 grade; Polymaker measures about 9 h of brass nozzle life on its comparable fibre-filled nylons[9]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — fibre-reinforced nylon composite[9]Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[9]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; nylon already needs a drybox and Prusa names kevlar among the fibres that raise nozzle-clogging risk[10]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[11]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed[8]
Hotend requirementNot documentedMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[8]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — the polyamide matrix governs uptake[11]High (0.8–2 %) — the PA12 matrix takes up far less than PA6, on the evidence of Polymaker's 1.5 % for PA12-CF10 against 3.33 % for PA6-GF25[12][13]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker's printed dry-versus-wet blocks for its CoPA nylon show what conditioning does to the family: tensile 78.0 → 34.3 MPa and modulus 2703 → 724 MPa, with notched Charpy rising 6.9 → 27.7 kJ/m². Fibre reinforcement reduces but does not remove the effect[14][7]Polymaker's PA12 grades change little between wet and dry, unlike PA6; the CoPA dry-to-wet blocks show the PA6-type response[7][14]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[11]
Hydrolysis at melt temperatureNot documentedPolymaker specifies an 80–100 °C dry and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the wet data it does publish is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[9][14]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented82 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[2]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented7800 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2]
Elongation at break%Not documented4.5 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — nearly double the 2.4 % of Polymaker's PA6-GF25[2][13]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented94 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented7550 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Brittleness1–5Not documentedModerate[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[15]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedGood. Ensinger lists high creep resistance for extruded PA66-GF30 stock, and the PA12 matrix absorbs far less water than PA6, so a PA12-GF part holds load better in a humid environment[15][1]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedGood. Ensinger lists high fatigue strength as a headline property of extruded PA66-GF30 stock[15]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedRigid[2]
Thermal Properties
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented48.6 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D696; source states 2.7e-5 in/in/°F) — no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[15]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[9]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedMonths outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[1]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[1]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — minor absorption relative to PA6-based composites[7]
Food contactNot documentedNot food-contact certified as filament[1]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[1]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[1]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (ASTM D257)[2]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[16]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[16]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[16]Up to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[16]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[16]≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[16]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[16]Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[16]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[16]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[16]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[2]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands poorly — gums rather than powders[8]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[8]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[8]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[17]Formic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[17]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[17]Zinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[17]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[17]None — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[17]

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. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  2. FibreX PA12-GF30 Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. IEMAI 3D GF-PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. PrimaCreator SELECT NylonPower Glass Fiber product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  8. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  9. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  10. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Fiberon PA12-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-02 · tds
  13. Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  14. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  15. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  16. 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
  17. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds