3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA11 vs PCTG

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

PA11 (Nylon 11) guidePCTG guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA11 comparisonsMore PCTG comparisons
PA11 vs PCTG — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA11 (Nylon 11)PAPCTGPETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$194.98/kg median; $194.98–$194.98/kg across 1 dated product listings$34.99/kg median; $14.00–$50.67/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyamide 11, polymerised from castor-oil-derived aminoundecanoic acid — a bio-based nylon[1][2]Poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) glycol — a copolyester with a higher cyclohexanedimethanol content than PETG[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.02 (ISO 1183)[1]1.23 (Extrudr, ASTM D792; 3DXTech, ISO 1183)[4][5]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg spools cluster near 34[6][5][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented14–51 across brands; CHCKX 14 in a 10-roll bundle, Push Plastic 30, Proto-pasta 35 at 1 kg, 3DXTech 51[6][5][8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2]Available from several mainstream brands[6][5][7][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[2]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1, 3 and 5 kg spools[6][7][5]
Typical applicationsTough, chemically resistant functional parts; Prusa targets it at impact-loaded and vibration-loaded components[2]Transparent covers, guards and impact-loaded parts where PETG cracks[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C275 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]250–270 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[3][4]
Bed temperature°C100 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]60–100 (Spectrum)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Prusament specifies a 55 ± 5 °C chamber[1]Open frame is fine — Spectrum and Extrudr both say a closed chamber is not necessary, Extrudr adds it helps on larger parts[3][4]
Recommended chamber temperature°C55 ± 5 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fanNot documentedUp to 100 % (Spectrum); 20–50 % (Extrudr)[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPA nylon sheet (Prusament)[1]Textured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[10][11]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented1.6–16 at the 20–200 mm/s Extrudr rates the material for, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4][12]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[10][11]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[11]
Shrinkage%Not documented0.2–0.5 (Extrudr, ASTM D955)[4]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[1][13]Easy — minor profile tuning[3][4]
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[13]Brass fine indefinitely — Extrudr explicitly states no hardened nozzle is needed[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[13]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[14]Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for PCTG, only a 65 °C pre-dry[15]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[16]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[16]
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][14]Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the copolyester matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 65 °C, 4 h pre-dry[10][15]
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[17]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[14]
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[17][18]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[14]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[14]Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[14][11]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa38.3 ± 0.8 printed horizontal and 39.5 ± 0.5 printed vertical at yield, ISO 527-1[1]43–44 at yield and 45–46 at break (ISO 527, injection-moulded resin data from Spectrum and Extrudr); 48 on My Tech Fun printed bars[3][4][19]
Young's modulusMPa1200 printed, both orientations, ISO 527-1[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%5.6 ± 0.1 at yield, printed, ISO 527-1[1]215–220 at break on moulded specimens (ISO 527); 4.3–4.4 at yield[3][4]
Flexural modulusMPa1100 printed horizontal and 1000 printed vertical, ISO 178[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²12.9 ± 2.1 printed horizontal and 11.7 ± 1.2 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched[1]93–94 notched Izod at 23 °C on moulded specimens (ISO 180); 3DXTech quotes 8 by ISO 180/A[3][4][5]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod 4.14 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars, against 3.37 for PETG on the same rig[19]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa32 ± 1 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test) — the highest interlayer figure Prusa publishes for any of its filaments[1]21.6 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm printed bars, against 32.9 for PETG[19]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3][4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell70 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[1]69 Shore D measured by My Tech Fun, against 72 for PETG[19]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedBelow average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 19.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, slightly worse than PETG's 18.2[19]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable[13]Good — 215 % elongation at break and 94 kJ/m² notched Izod on moulded specimens (Extrudr, Spectrum)[3][4]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[19]
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
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented78 (3DXTech, DSC)[5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 88 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[3][4]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented68 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature, against 65 for PETG[19]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard grades[20]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[11]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Absorbs water, properties shift[17]Good — minor absorption; Spectrum describes the polymer as hydrophobic[3]
Food contactNot documentedNot certified for food contact as filament[11]
Biodegradability / compostabilityBio-based — the monomer comes from castor oil[2]Not biodegradable[11]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[11]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[21]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[21]
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[21]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[21]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[21]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[21]Open a window / occasional ventilation[21]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[16]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[16]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[16]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[16]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedOptical clarity is the selling point; Extrudr recommends a layer height at most 50 % of nozzle diameter[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[22][23]No common workshop solvent; Eastman's CHDM copolyester data shows 1,2-dichloroethane destroying it within a week.[24]
Softened or crazed byMineral acids, oxidants, halogens and zinc chloride solutions attack the amide bond; ordinary solvents do not (BASF, PA6/66).[22]Acetone, ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften the copolyester; methanol crazes it (Eastman, 1 y at 23 °C).[24]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[22]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[25]

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. Spectrum Premium PCTG Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Extrudr PCTG technical data Extrudr · 2026-08 · tds
  5. MAX-G PCTG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. CHCKX 10KG Multicolor PCTG Filament bundle CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Atomic Filament product catalogue Atomic Filament · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  11. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. MAX-G PCTG — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  19. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  20. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  21. 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
  22. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc