3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA blend vs PLA

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

PA6/66 copolymer blends guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA blend comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
PA blend vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA6/66 copolymer blendsPAPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$65.62/kg median; $62.00–$113.33/kg across 4 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 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]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.12 (ISO 1183, Polymaker CoPA)[1]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[3][5][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 65[6][7][8]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[9][10][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[6][12][7][8]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[13][14][15][16]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][12]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[17][18]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[6][12][7][8]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[9][19][20][15][21]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose nylon parts and, unusually, CoPA can support itself if the support is removed before it absorbs moisture[1]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[22]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[3][9][23]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–270 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[3][5][4]
Bed temperature°C25–50 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[3][5][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a chamber at ambient temperature[1]Open frame is fine[5][17]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[3][18]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedSmooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[5][24][18]
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][25]12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[25]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[26][17]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[5][4][18]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[5][18][27]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; must be kept below 20 % RH throughout[1][28]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[17][18]
Extruder requirementNot documentedAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[17]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[29]Brass fine indefinitely[17]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[29]Non-abrasive[26][17]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[30][28]Very low[17][18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[24][31]
Hotend requirementNot documentedAny standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[17]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[26][17]
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][28]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[4][5][32]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][5]
Drying temperature & time100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[1]50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[5][4][31]
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[30]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[28]
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][30]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — it absorbs moisture slowly and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[28]
Storage requirementPolymaker states CoPA must always be stored and used below 20 % relative humidity[1]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[4][18]
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][33]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]35–52 (printed XY, ISO 527); 55 mean across 16 brands and 53 for the reference PLA in a later run, both on 4×4 mm printed bars[3][5][4][34][35]
Young's modulusMPa2703 ± 259 printed XY dry and 724 ± 61 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][5][4]
Elongation at break%12.7 ± 2.1 printed XY dry and 13.2 ± 2.3 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[5][4][3]
Flexural strengthMPa109.8 ± 1.3 printed XY dry and 22.6 ± 0.5 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[3][5][4][36]
Flexural modulusMPa2510 ± 25 printed XY dry and 636 ± 11 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[3][5][4][36]
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]3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[5][4]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[3][4]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa45.8 ± 1.5 printed Z dry, falling to 13.7 ± 1.2 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[3][4][35]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[24][26]
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)[37]81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[3][38]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[39][40]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable[29]Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[41][24]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[30]Rigid[26]
Z strength as % of XY%59 dry (45.8 Z against 78.0 XY) and 40 wet, printed[1]77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[5][4][35]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C111 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[1]55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3][5][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C70 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[1]54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3][5][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C66 (DSC, Polymaker CoPA)[1]55–61 (DSC)[3][5][4]
Melting point / Vicat°C189 melting (DSC); Vicat 180, crystallisation 148, decomposition 370 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[22][5][4]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[26][35]
Annealing response80 °C for 6 h (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Bambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[4][42]
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[37]96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[43]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[4][5]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[24][22]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[22][24]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[5][24]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Absorbs water, properties shift — 6.16 % uptake cost 56 % of tensile strength and 73 % of modulus[1]Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[4][44]
Food contactNot documentedBase resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[24][44]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[44][24][4]
RecyclabilityNot documentedMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[44]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[45]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[45]
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[45]4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[45]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[45]≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[45]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[45]Lactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[45]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[45]None needed in a normal room[45]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[22][24]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[24][23]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[24]
Support material pairingCoPA can support itself, but Polymaker warns the support bonds permanently if it absorbs moisture before removal[1]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[5][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[26][4][18]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid above ~50 %, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — laboratory reagents.[46]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[47]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack it — 10 % marginal, 37 % not resistant; alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it.[46]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[47][48]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[46]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[49][48]

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 PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. add:north Adura product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. PrimaCreator SELECT NylonPower PA6/66 product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  23. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  24. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  27. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  29. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  32. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  33. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  34. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  35. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  36. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  37. TECAMID 66 natural (PA66) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  38. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  39. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  41. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  42. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  43. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  44. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  45. 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
  46. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  47. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  48. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  49. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper