3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA blend vs PPA

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

PA6/66 copolymer blends guidePPA (polyphthalamide) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA blend comparisonsMore PPA comparisons
PA blend vs PPA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA6/66 copolymer blendsPAPPA (polyphthalamide)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$65.62/kg median; $62.00–$113.33/kg across 4 dated product listings$45.49/kg median; $45.49–$45.49/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]Polyphthalamide — a semi-aromatic polyamide in which aromatic diacid units replace part of the aliphatic backbone; Raise3D and Bambu Lab both label it high-temperature nylon[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.12 (ISO 1183, Polymaker CoPA)[1]1.21 (ISO 1183, Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA)[5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 65[6][7][8]One 1 kg listing on the market, at 45[9]
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][10][7][8]45 for the only unfilled PPA filament found — Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA at 1 kg; every other PPA in retail is carbon- or glass-filled[9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][10]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide — Siraya Tech is the only brand found selling unfilled PPA filament[9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[6][10][7][8]1.75 mm, 1 kg[9]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose nylon parts and, unusually, CoPA can support itself if the support is removed before it absorbs moisture[1]Gears, bearings and tooling that must hold load above the reach of PA6 or PA12, and parts exposed to fuels and industrial chemicals[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–270 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]280–300 (Siraya Tech)[5]
Bed temperature°C25–50 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]70–80 (Siraya Tech)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a chamber at ambient temperature[1]Enclosure recommended — Siraya Tech advises an enclosure to hold temperature and limit warping on larger prints[5]
Part cooling fanNot documented20–60 % (Siraya Tech)[5]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a PVP glue coating[5]
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][11]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; must be kept below 20 % RH throughout[1][12]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; needs a 300 °C-class hot end and a dry spool[5]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[13]Brass fine indefinitely — Siraya Tech states a hardened steel nozzle is not needed for the unfilled grade[5]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[13]Non-abrasive when unfilled[5]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[14][12]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Siraya Tech tells users to dry only when moisture symptoms appear, rather than before every print[5]
Hotend requirementNot documentedHigh-quality metal nozzle, 0.4–1.0 mm; hardened steel not required (Siraya Tech)[5]
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][12]High (0.8–2 %) — Siraya Tech publishes 2.59 % by ISO 62 immersion for the unfilled grade; on the equilibrium basis Bambu Lab uses, its 15 % carbon-filled PPA reaches 1.30 % against 2.35 % for the same maker's PA6-CF[5][4][15]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented2.59 by ISO 62 water immersion (Siraya Tech, unfilled) — an immersion figure, not the 25 °C / 55 % RH equilibrium basis the filled grades are quoted on, so the two are not directly comparable[5]
Drying temperature & time100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[1]80–100 °C for 4–6 h (Siraya Tech)[5]
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[14]Oozing, bubbles and a rough surface finish (Siraya Tech)[5]
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][14]Siraya Tech publishes dry against saturated for the same grade: tensile 70 → 60 MPa, flexural 114 → 87 MPa, HDT at 1.8 MPa 73.5 → 48.5 °C, while Charpy rises 10 → 14.5 kJ/m²[5][9]
Storage requirementPolymaker states CoPA must always be stored and used below 20 % relative humidity[1]Dry box below 15 % RH (Siraya Tech)[5]
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][16]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]72 at break (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech); the product page quotes 70 dry and 60 saturated[5][9]
Young's modulusMPa2703 ± 259 printed XY dry and 724 ± 61 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]3600 (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech)[5]
Elongation at break%12.7 ± 2.1 printed XY dry and 13.2 ± 2.3 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]10.5 at break (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech)[5]
Flexural strengthMPa109.8 ± 1.3 printed XY dry and 22.6 ± 0.5 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]115 (printed, ISO 178, Siraya Tech); 114 dry against 87 saturated on the product page[5][9]
Flexural modulusMPa2510 ± 25 printed XY dry and 636 ± 11 wet, ISO 178 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]3350 (printed, ISO 178, Siraya Tech)[5]
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]10.1 Charpy (printed, ISO 179, Siraya Tech); the data sheet does not state whether the specimen was notched[5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa45.8 ± 1.5 printed Z dry, falling to 13.7 ± 1.2 wet, ISO 527 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Moderate — 10.5 % elongation at break puts it between PA6 and the fibre-filled grades[5]
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)[17]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedGood — Raise3D cites high creep resistance as a reason to choose the PPA matrix over other nylons[3]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable[13]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[14]Rigid — 3.6 GPa tensile modulus[5]
Z strength as % of XY%59 dry (45.8 Z against 78.0 XY) and 40 wet, printed[1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedSiraya Tech describes the unfilled grade as low-friction and self-lubricating, aimed at gears and bearings[5][9]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C111 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[1]81 dry and 61 saturated (printed, ISO 75 Method B at 0.45 MPa, Siraya Tech)[5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C70 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Polymaker CoPA)[1]73.5 dry and 48.5 saturated (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa, Siraya Tech) — unfilled PPA deflects near its Tg; the 190–227 °C figures quoted for PPA are carbon-filled grades[5][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C66 (DSC, Polymaker CoPA)[1]80 (ASTM D3418, Siraya Tech)[5]
Melting point / Vicat°C189 melting (DSC); Vicat 180, crystallisation 148, decomposition 370 (Polymaker CoPA)[1]231 melting point (ASTM D3418) and 230 Vicat (ISO 306), Siraya Tech[5]
Annealing response80 °C for 6 h (Polymaker CoPA)[1]Siraya Tech's product page offers annealing for strength while its own data sheet says annealing is not recommended because the print can warp; on its 15 % carbon-filled PPA, annealing lifts HDT at 1.8 MPa from 82.5 to 119 °C[5][9][18]
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[17]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands fuels, oils and industrial chemicals; Bambu Lab rates semi-aromatic nylon better than general nylon against weak acids, weak alkalis and most organic solvents[5][4]
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 — a saturated specimen loses about 15 % of its tensile strength and 25 °C of heat-deflection temperature[5][9]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[19]Not documented
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[19]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[19]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[19]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[19]Not documented
Post-Processing
Support material pairingCoPA can support itself, but Polymaker warns the support bonds permanently if it absorbs moisture before removal[1]Compatible with quick-release support materials (Siraya Tech)[5]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid above ~50 %, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — laboratory reagents.[20]Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[20]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack it — 10 % marginal, 37 % not resistant; alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it.[20]Mineral acids, oxidants, halogens and zinc chloride solutions attack the amide bond; ordinary solvents do not.[20]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[20]None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[20]

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. Raise3D Industrial PPA CF Technical Data Sheet V2.0 Raise3D · 2022-04 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PPA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · 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. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PA6-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  16. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  17. TECAMID 66 natural (PA66) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA-CF Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · tds
  19. 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
  20. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds