3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA11 vs PC-GF

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

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

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA11 comparisonsMore PC-GF comparisons
PA11 vs PC-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA11 (Nylon 11)PAGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF)PC
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$194.98/kg median; $194.98–$194.98/kg across 1 dated product listings$71.27/kg median; $71.27–$71.27/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyamide 11, polymerised from castor-oil-derived aminoundecanoic acid — a bio-based nylon[1][2]Polycarbonate reinforced with 30 wt% short glass fibre[3]
Densityg/cm³1.02 (ISO 1183)[1]1.17 (measured on a 100 % infill printed part, ISO 1183-A)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg spools cluster near 71[4]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented71 — BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 at igo3d is the only priced listing found; Owens Corning sells XSTRAND GF30-PC in 500 g and 1 kg[4][3]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — neither Polymaker's nor 3DXTech's polycarbonate range contains a glass-fibre grade, but BASF Forward AM and Owens Corning both sell one through European retail[4][3][5][6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[2]1.75 and 2.85 mm at +/- 0.05 mm; 500 g and 1 kg net spools[3]
Typical applicationsTough, chemically resistant functional parts; Prusa targets it at impact-loaded and vibration-loaded components[2]Functional prototyping for mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament)[1]+/- 0.05 (Owens Corning XSTRAND)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C275 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]280-330 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[3]
Bed temperature°C100 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]80-110 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Prusament specifies a 55 ± 5 °C chamber[1]Enclosure required (passive) — as for unfilled PC[7][8]
Recommended chamber temperature°C55 ± 5 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPA nylon sheet (Prusament)[1]Perforated plate, DimaFix or Magigoo PC glue (Owens Corning)[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[1][9]Not documented
Extruder requirementPrusa printed its test specimens with a high-flow CHT nozzle[1]Owens Corning specifies a nozzle above 0.4 mm and hardened steel nozzles and drive wheels[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[9]Hardened steel required — Owens Corning states glass reinforcement shortens brass nozzle and drive-wheel life[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[9]Highly abrasive — 30 wt% glass fibre[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[10]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; PC already absorbs water from the air and Prusa lists glass-filled composites as a higher clogging risk[11][12]
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][10]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Owens Corning measures below 0.1 % at 23 °C and 50 % RH (ISO 62)[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.26 after 24 h and 0.46 after 7 days (Prusa Polymers method)[1]Below 0.1 at 23 °C and 50 % RH, and below 0.1 at saturation (ISO 62)[3]
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[13]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[13][14]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[15][10]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[10]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa38.3 ± 0.8 printed horizontal and 39.5 ± 0.5 printed vertical at yield, ISO 527-1[1]65 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[3]
Young's modulusMPa1200 printed, both orientations, ISO 527-1[1]5400 (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[3]
Elongation at break%5.6 ± 0.1 at yield, printed, ISO 527-1[1]2.5 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[3]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented113 at yield (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa1100 printed horizontal and 1000 printed vertical, ISO 178[1]5500 (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[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]Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2.5 % elongation at break[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell70 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[1]Rockwell 70 (118) — the source does not name the scales and Shore D 79 on extruded unfilled PC stock (ASTM D785, D2240); no figure is published for a glass-fibre grade[16]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedExcellent — holds load for years. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded unfilled PC ran unbroken at 41 MPa until the test was stopped, and 30 wt% glass raises the tensile modulus from about 2.3 to 5.4 GPa[17][3]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable[9]Not documented
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]137 (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented145 (DSC, ISO 11357)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented270 stated as melting point (ISO 11357) — unusual for an amorphous polymer, but this is the published figure[3]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented26.2 in XY and 77.4 in Z (printed, ISO 11359-2) — a threefold anisotropy, and the lowest in-plane expansion of any polycarbonate here[3]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 verified (Owens Corning)[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift. Owens Corning lists UV resistance as a product benefit but publishes no exposure data[3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Absorbs water, properties shift[13]Excellent — essentially unaffected; below 0.1 % water at saturation (ISO 62)[3]
Biodegradability / compostabilityBio-based — the monomer comes from castor oil[2]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedElectrically insulating (Owens Corning)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[18]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[18]
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[18]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[18]≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[18]
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[18]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[18]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[18][8]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedOwens Corning warns that the glass reinforcement is abrasive when melted and advises sufficient ventilation and avoiding extrusion fumes[3]
Post-Processing
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedHigh dimensional stability is the headline benefit; the 26.2 um/m*K in-plane CTE is a third of unfilled PC's[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[19][20]Dichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[21]
Softened or crazed byMineral acids, oxidants, halogens and zinc chloride solutions attack the amide bond; ordinary solvents do not (BASF, PA6/66).[19]Methanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[21]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[19]Dichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[22]

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. XSTRAND GF30-PC Data Sheet Owens Corning · 2019-04 · tds
  4. BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 Black 2.85 mm 1.000 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  8. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  9. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  15. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  17. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  18. 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
  19. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  20. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  22. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds