3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA aramid vs PP-CF

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

Aramid-fibre nylon guideCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA aramid comparisonsMore PP-CF comparisons
PA aramid vs PP-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyAramid-fibre nylonPACarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshotsNot documented$107.68/kg median; $57.13–$120.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryAramid-fibre reinforced polyamide[1]Polypropylene reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[2][3]
Densityg/cm³Not documented0.91 (Prusament PP Carbon Fiber, ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg-equivalent spools span 57–138; the middle of the market is about 108[4][5][6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented57–138 across brands; Reli3D 57 at 700 g on Amazon, Prusament 108 direct from Prusa and 138 at Printed Solid, 3DXTech CarbonX PP+CF 120[4][7][5][6]
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[8][5]Available from several mainstream brands[5][7]
Spool sizes & diametersNot documented1.75 mm; 0.65 kg spools[7][5]
Typical applicationsNot documentedLightweight chemical-resistant parts, automotive clips and ducting that must survive above 150 °C[9]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.04 (Prusament)[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented270 ± 10 (Prusament)[2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented85 ± 10 (Prusament)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — as for every nylon[1]Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[10][11]
Part cooling fanNot documentedOff — Prusa runs 0 % except 100 % on bridges[2]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented3.2 at Prusa's 40 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2][12]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedHigh — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a brim[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedVery difficult — special plates or slurry required[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedAdvanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[2]
Extruder requirementNot documentedPrusa states a hardened nozzle is necessary and recommends a brim[2]
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[13]Hardened steel required — Prusa states plainly that a hardened nozzle is necessary[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — fibre-reinforced nylon composite[13]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[2]
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[14]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech specifies a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers or higher, and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[3][14]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — the polyamide matrix governs uptake[15]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Prusa measures 0.03 % in 24 h and 0.04 % in 7 days on its PP composite, the lowest figures it publishes for any filament[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[2]
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[16][17]Not applicable in practice at 0.04 % equilibrium uptake[2]
Storage requirementNot documentedNo special storage needed[2]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented21 ± 0.4 filament tensile yield (Prusament, ISO 527)[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented14.5 ± 0.3 printed horizontal and 10.5 ± 0.8 printed vertical XZ (ISO 179-1, notched)[2]
Brittleness1–5Not documentedTough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded unfilled PP stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre PP filament[18]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedGood[19]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedSlightly flexible in thin sections[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented158 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — far above unfilled PP and above most engineering filaments[2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented115 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceNot documentedExcellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents[11]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[2]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[20]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission. Inferred: no polyolefin was among the nine filaments in the Azimi chamber study, so this is a family-level judgement rather than a measurement[20]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[20]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[20]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[20]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[20]Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[20]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[21]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves the matrix at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C, leaving the fibre.[22][23]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[21]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[22]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[21]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[22]

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. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  3. CarbonX PP+CF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Black 650g — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PP Filament 1.75 mm 700 g Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  11. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  14. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  17. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 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. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  23. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper