3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA blend vs PA11

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

PA6/66 copolymer blends guidePA11 (Nylon 11) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA blend comparisonsMore PA11 comparisons
PA blend vs PA11 — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA6/66 copolymer blendsPAPA11 (Nylon 11)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$65.62/kg median; $62.00–$113.33/kg across 4 dated product listings$194.98/kg median; $194.98–$194.98/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPA6/66 copolymer — a nylon alloy that lowers the melting point and improves printability against straight PA6[1][2]Polyamide 11, polymerised from castor-oil-derived aminoundecanoic acid — a bio-based nylon[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.12 (ISO 1183, Polymaker CoPA)[1]1.02 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 65[5][6][7]Not documented
Price range across brandsUSD/kg62–113 across brands; add:north Adura 62, PrimaCreator NylonPower PA6/66 65 at 500 g, Polymaker CoPA 67, 3DXTech AmideX Nylon 6-66 113[5][8][6][7]Not documented
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][8]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[5][8][6][7]1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[4]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose nylon parts and, unusually, CoPA can support itself if the support is removed before it absorbs moisture[1]Tough, chemically resistant functional parts; Prusa targets it at impact-loaded and vibration-loaded components[4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–270 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]275 ± 10 (Prusament)[3]
Bed temperature°C25–50 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]100 ± 10 (Prusament)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a chamber at ambient temperature[1]Enclosure required (passive) — Prusament specifies a 55 ± 5 °C chamber[3]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented55 ± 5 (Prusament)[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPA nylon sheet (Prusament)[3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s16 at Polymaker's 200 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][9]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; must be kept below 20 % RH throughout[1][10]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[3][11]
Extruder requirementNot documentedPrusa printed its test specimens with a high-flow CHT nozzle[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[11]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[11]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[11]Non-abrasive when unfilled[11]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[12][10]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[10]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker's own wet-state specimens reached 6.16 % moisture content after 48 h immersion at 60 °C[1][10]High (0.8–2 %) — Prusa measures 0.46 % after 7 days at 22 % RH, but PA11 sits between PA12 and PA6 in the family[3][10]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.26 after 24 h and 0.46 after 7 days (Prusa Polymers method)[3]
Drying temperature & time100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Not documented
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[12]Popping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[12]
Effect of moisture on strengthMeasured 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 %[1][12]Prusa publishes no dry-versus-conditioned columns; the CoPA reference shows the PA-family response — stiffness and strength fall sharply, impact and elongation rise[12][1]
Storage requirementPolymaker states CoPA must always be stored and used below 20 % relative humidity[1]Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[10]
Hydrolysis at melt temperaturePolymaker 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[1][13]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa78.0 ± 0.7 printed XY dry and 34.3 ± 2.5 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]38.3 ± 0.8 printed horizontal and 39.5 ± 0.5 printed vertical at yield, ISO 527-1[3]
Young's modulusMPa2703 ± 259 printed XY dry and 724 ± 61 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]1200 printed, both orientations, ISO 527-1[3]
Elongation at break%12.7 ± 2.1 printed XY dry and 13.2 ± 2.3 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]5.6 ± 0.1 at yield, printed, ISO 527-1[3]
Flexural strengthMPa109.8 ± 1.3 printed XY dry and 22.6 ± 0.5 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2510 ± 25 printed XY dry and 636 ± 11 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]1100 printed horizontal and 1000 printed vertical, ISO 178[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²6.9 ± 1.4 printed XY dry and 27.7 ± 1.2 wet, ISO 179 notched (Polymaker CoPA) — impact quadruples when conditioned[1]12.9 ± 2.1 printed horizontal and 11.7 ± 1.2 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched[3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa45.8 ± 1.5 printed Z dry, falling to 13.7 ± 1.2 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]32 ± 1 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test) — the highest interlayer figure Prusa publishes for any of its filaments[3]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellShore D 86 and Rockwell 85 (108) — the source does not name the scales on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D2240, D785)[14]70 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[3]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable[11]Excellent — living hinges viable[11]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[12]Semi-flexible[3]
Z strength as % of XY%59 dry (45.8 Z against 78.0 XY) and 40 wet, printed[1]84 — Prusa publishes a tensile anisotropy coefficient of 0.84, the ratio of Z to XY tensile strength[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C111 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[1]58.7 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C70 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[1]49.9 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C66 (DSC, Polymaker CoPA)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C189 melting (DSC); Vicat 180, crystallisation 148, decomposition 370 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Not documented
Annealing response80 °C for 6 h (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K81.0 on extruded unfilled PA66 stock (ASTM D696; source states 4.5e-5 in/in/°F) — the same chemistry as a PA6/66 copolymer[14]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Absorbs water, properties shift — 6.16 % uptake cost 56 % of tensile strength and 73 % of modulus[1]Absorbs water, properties shift[12]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedBio-based — the monomer comes from castor oil[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[15]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[15]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon; total VOC reached nearly 200 µg/min, the highest of the nine filaments tested[15]Up to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon; total VOC reached nearly 200 µg/min, the highest of the nine filaments tested[15]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[15]≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[15]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[15]Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[15]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[15]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[15]
Post-Processing
Support material pairingCoPA can support itself, but Polymaker warns the support bonds permanently if it absorbs moisture before removal[1]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid above ~50 %, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — laboratory reagents.[16]Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[16][17]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack it — 10 % marginal, 37 % not resistant; alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it.[16]Mineral acids, oxidants, halogens and zinc chloride solutions attack the amide bond; ordinary solvents do not (BASF, PA6/66).[16]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[16]None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[16]

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. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. AmideX Nylon 6-66 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. Prusament PA11 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2026-07 · tds
  4. Prusament PA11 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. add:north Adura product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. PrimaCreator SELECT NylonPower PA6/66 product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  14. TECAMID 66 natural (PA66) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  15. 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
  16. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  17. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds