3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA11 vs PA12-GF

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

PA11 (Nylon 11) guideGlass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA11 comparisonsMore PA12-GF comparisons
PA11 vs PA12-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA11 (Nylon 11)PAGlass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$194.98/kg median; $194.98–$194.98/kg across 1 dated product listings$130.67/kg median; $46.00–$140.18/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyamide 11, polymerised from castor-oil-derived aminoundecanoic acid — a bio-based nylon[1][2]PA12 reinforced with chopped glass fibre — 3DXTech's grade is nominally 30 wt%[3]
Densityg/cm³1.02 (ISO 1183)[1]1.23 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg-equivalent spools span 46–140; the middle of the market is about 88[4][5][6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented46–140 across brands; IEMAI 3D 46, 3DXTech 131 at 750 g and 130 at 2 kg, PrimaCreator NylonPower Glass Fiber 140 at 500 g[4][5][6]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2]Available from several mainstream brands[4][5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[2]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools[4][6]
Typical applicationsTough, chemically resistant functional parts; Prusa targets it at impact-loaded and vibration-loaded components[2]Stiff, humidity-stable structural parts — the glass gives the modulus, the PA12 matrix limits the moisture drift[3][7]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C275 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Bed temperature°C100 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Prusament specifies a 55 ± 5 °C chamber[1]Enclosure required (passive)[8]
Recommended chamber temperature°C55 ± 5 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPA nylon sheet (Prusament)[1]PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[9][8]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds a specific surface plus adhesive[9]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed[8]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[1][8]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[8]
Extruder requirementPrusa printed its test specimens with a high-flow CHT nozzle[1]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[8]Hardened steel required — no nozzle-life figure is published for a PA12-GF30 grade; Polymaker measures about 9 h of brass nozzle life on its comparable fibre-filled nylons[10]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[8]Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[10]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[11]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[11]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed[9]
Hotend requirementNot documentedMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[9]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High (0.8–2 %) — Prusa measures 0.46 % after 7 days at 22 % RH, but PA11 sits between PA12 and PA6 in the family[1][11]High (0.8–2 %) — the PA12 matrix takes up far less than PA6, on the evidence of Polymaker's 1.5 % for PA12-CF10 against 3.33 % for PA6-GF25[12][13]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.26 after 24 h and 0.46 after 7 days (Prusa Polymers method)[1]Not documented
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[7]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPrusa publishes no dry-versus-conditioned columns; the CoPA reference shows the PA-family response — stiffness and strength fall sharply, impact and elongation rise[7][14]Polymaker's PA12 grades change little between wet and dry, unlike PA6; the CoPA dry-to-wet blocks show the PA6-type response[7][14]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[11]Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[11]
Hydrolysis at melt temperatureNot documentedPolymaker specifies an 80–100 °C dry and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the wet data it does publish is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[10][14]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa38.3 ± 0.8 printed horizontal and 39.5 ± 0.5 printed vertical at yield, ISO 527-1[1]82 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Young's modulusMPa1200 printed, both orientations, ISO 527-1[1]7800 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Elongation at break%5.6 ± 0.1 at yield, printed, ISO 527-1[1]4.5 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — nearly double the 2.4 % of Polymaker's PA6-GF25[3][13]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented94 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa1100 printed horizontal and 1000 printed vertical, ISO 178[1]7550 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²12.9 ± 2.1 printed horizontal and 11.7 ± 1.2 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched[1]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa32 ± 1 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test) — the highest interlayer figure Prusa publishes for any of its filaments[1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Moderate[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell70 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[1]Rockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[15]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedGood. Ensinger lists high creep resistance for extruded PA66-GF30 stock, and the PA12 matrix absorbs far less water than PA6, so a PA12-GF part holds load better in a humid environment[15][8]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable[8]Good. Ensinger lists high fatigue strength as a headline property of extruded PA66-GF30 stock[15]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%84 — Prusa publishes a tensile anisotropy coefficient of 0.84, the ratio of Z to XY tensile strength[1]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C58.7 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C49.9 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented48.6 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D696; source states 2.7e-5 in/in/°F) — no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[15]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[10]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedMonths outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[8]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[8]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Absorbs water, properties shift[7]Good — minor absorption relative to PA6-based composites[7]
Food contactNot documentedNot food-contact certified as filament[8]
Biodegradability / compostabilityBio-based — the monomer comes from castor oil[2]Not biodegradable[8]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[8]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (ASTM D257)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[16]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[16]
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[16]Up to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[16]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[16]≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[16]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[16]Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[16]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[16]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[16]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands poorly — gums rather than powders[9]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[9]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[9]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[17][18]Formic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[17]
Softened or crazed byMineral acids, oxidants, halogens and zinc chloride solutions attack the amide bond; ordinary solvents do not (BASF, PA6/66).[17]Zinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[17]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[17]None — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[17]

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. Prusament PA11 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2026-07 · tds
  2. Prusament PA11 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  3. FibreX PA12-GF30 Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. IEMAI 3D GF-PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. PrimaCreator SELECT NylonPower Glass Fiber product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  8. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  9. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  11. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Fiberon PA12-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-02 · tds
  13. Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  14. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  15. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  16. 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
  17. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds