3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA blend vs PETG

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

PA6/66 copolymer blends guidePETG guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA blend comparisonsMore PETG comparisons
PA blend vs PETG — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA6/66 copolymer blendsPAPETGPETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$65.62/kg median; $62.00–$113.33/kg across 4 dated product listings$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 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]Polyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.12 (ISO 1183, Polymaker CoPA)[1]1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[3][4][5][6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 65[7][8][9]1 kg spools cluster near 20[10][7][11]
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[7][12][8][9]12–70 across brands; IEMAI 12, ELEGOO 14, CHCKX 14, Bambu Lab 18–20, Hatchbox 26, Prusament 38, Prusament PETG V0 70[10][7][13][11][14][15]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7][12]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[10][7][16][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[7][12][8][9]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[7][11]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose nylon parts and, unusually, CoPA can support itself if the support is removed before it absorbs moisture[1]Functional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–270 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]230–260 across brands; Prusament 250 ± 10, Polymaker 240–260[3][4][6]
Bed temperature°C25–50 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[3][6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a chamber at ambient temperature[1]Open frame is fine[6]
Part cooling fanNot documentedAround 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[3][6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets. On smooth PEI a glue stick is used as a release agent, not an adhesive — PETG bonds to bare PEI hard enough to tear the sheet[3][6]
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][17]8–15 (PrusaSlicer guidance); My Tech Fun ran Bambu Lab PETG Basic at 13 mm³/s[17][18]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — corner lift on large flat parts[3][6]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed[3][6]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; must be kept below 20 % RH throughout[1][19]Easy — minor profile tuning[6]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[20]Brass fine indefinitely[17]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[20]Non-abrasive[6]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[21][19]Low — no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle[22][23]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[22]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[22]
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][19]Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — Bambu Lab reports 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; Prusa measures only 0.07 % in 24 h and 0.10 % in 7 days at the drier 22 % RH[3][24]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers); 0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[3][24]
Drying temperature & time100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[1]60–65 °C for 6–8 h[6][24]
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[21]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[3]
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][21]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic and shows a before-and-after-drying comparison; the loss appears as poor layer adhesion and weak, brittle layers rather than a published dry-versus-conditioned figure[19]
Storage requirementPolymaker states CoPA must always be stored and used below 20 % relative humidity[1]Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[19][25]
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][26]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]38–51 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 47 ± 2 at yield; 62 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[3][4][5][27]
Young's modulusMPa2703 ± 259 printed XY dry and 724 ± 61 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]1500–2311 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][4][5][6]
Elongation at break%12.7 ± 2.1 printed XY dry and 13.2 ± 2.3 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]5.2–9.3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 5.1 at yield[4][5][6][3]
Flexural strengthMPa109.8 ± 1.3 printed XY dry and 22.6 ± 0.5 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]58–80 (printed XY, ISO 178); Prusament 66 ± 2[3][4][5][6]
Flexural modulusMPa2510 ± 25 printed XY dry and 636 ± 11 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]1068–2277 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3][4][5][6]
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]2.6 (PolyLite) to 11.6 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 6 ± 1[4][5][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched does not break on Prusa's 4 J pendulum (ISO 179-1); Izod 3.37 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars[3][27]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa45.8 ± 1.5 printed Z dry, falling to 13.7 ± 1.2 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]18 ± 4 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 42.8 printed Z for PolyLite PETG; 33 on My Tech Fun bars[3][4][27]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Moderate[3][4]
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)[28]74 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method); measured on printed bars at 68.2 for Extrudr PETG, 72 for Fiberlogy PETG and 72.8 for Prusament PETG[3][27][29][30]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedBelow average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 18.2 mm (Fiberlogy) and 19.4 mm (Bambu Lab Basic) over 5 days at 1.25 kg[27][18]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable[20]Moderate — 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, about three times printed PLA (R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[31]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[21]Slightly flexible in thin sections[3]
Z strength as % of XY%59 dry (45.8 Z against 78.0 XY) and 40 wet, printed[1]84 (PolyLite, printed Z against XY tensile)[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C111 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[1]68 (Prusament) to 78 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[3][4][6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C70 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[1]65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[3][4][6]
Glass transition (Tg)°C66 (DSC, Polymaker CoPA)[1]71–81 (DSC)[4][5][6]
Melting point / Vicat°C189 melting (DSC); Vicat 180, crystallisation 148, decomposition 370 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 75–84 (ISO 306)[4][5][6]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented61–66 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across six grades from four brands; Prusa publishes 68 for Prusament PETG[27][29][30][18][32]
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[28]65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[33]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[34][25]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — a season or two[3]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[25]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Absorbs water, properties shift — 6.16 % uptake cost 56 % of tensile strength and 73 % of modulus[1]Good — minor absorption[3]
Food contactNot documentedPET is the polymer of drinks bottles, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria and no filament here carries a food-contact certification[25]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[25]
RecyclabilityNot documentedPET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[25]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[35]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[35]
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[35]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[35]≈5 × 10⁹ median for the PET-based T-Glase filament in the same chamber study, against ≈1 × 10⁸ for PLA[35]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[35]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[35]Open a window / occasional ventilation[35]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[22]
Painting & finishingNot documentedPaint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[3]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[22]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[3]
Support material pairingCoPA can support itself, but Polymaker warns the support bonds permanently if it absorbs moisture before removal[1]Prints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[22]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedStringing and blobbing are the usual accuracy limits, not shrinkage[3][6]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid above ~50 %, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — laboratory reagents.[36]No common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[37][38]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack it — 10 % marginal, 37 % not resistant; alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it.[36]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[37]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[36]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[38]

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 PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  4. PolyLite PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PolyMax PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Polymaker PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. add:north Adura product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. PrimaCreator SELECT NylonPower PA6/66 product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. PETG Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Black PETG Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg — product data Hatchbox · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. IEMAI PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. CHCKX PETG 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg, Black CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  25. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  27. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. TECAMID 66 natural (PA66) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  32. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Effects of Fiber Orientation on the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Fiber-Filled Polymer Systems in Large Format Polymer Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Materials 15(8):2764 · 2022-04 · paper
  34. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  35. 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
  36. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  37. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  38. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc