3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA11 vs PPSU

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

PA11 (Nylon 11) guidePPSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA11 comparisonsMore PPSU comparisons
PA11 vs PPSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA11 (Nylon 11)PAPPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$194.98/kg median; $194.98–$194.98/kg across 1 dated product listings$337.40/kg median; $223.00–$732.56/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyamide 11, polymerised from castor-oil-derived aminoundecanoic acid — a bio-based nylon[1][2]Polyphenylsulfone — an amorphous high-temperature sulfone polymer[3]
Densityg/cm³1.02 (ISO 1183)[1]1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech; ASTM D792, Stratasys PPSF)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg-equivalent spools span 223–733; the middle of the market is about 425[5][6][7][8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented223-733 across brands; IEMAI 3D 223 at 1 kg, 3DXTech ThermaX PPSU 250 at 500 g, 3D4Makers 425 at 750 g, Kimya PPSU-S 733 at 500 g[5][6][7][8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][6][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools[2]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 750 g spools[5][6][7]
Typical applicationsTough, chemically resistant functional parts; Prusa targets it at impact-loaded and vibration-loaded components[2]Steam-sterilisable medical and dental tooling, and aircraft interior parts[3]
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]130–150 (3DXTech)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Prusament specifies a 55 ± 5 °C chamber[1]Actively heated chamber required[9][10]
Recommended chamber temperature°C55 ± 5 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPA nylon sheet (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedSevere — heated chamber needed[9]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[1][11]Expert / industrial hardware only[9][10]
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[11]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[9]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[11]Non-abrasive when unfilled[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[12]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[13]
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][12]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.26 after 24 h and 0.46 after 7 days (Prusa Polymers method)[1]0.37 in 24 h and 1.1 at saturation on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[14]
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[15]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[15][16]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[13]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[12]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]55 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) and 55 (printed on side long edge, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF); 79 at yield on extruded stock[3][4][14]
Young's modulusMPa1200 printed, both orientations, ISO 527-1[1]2100 (printed, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF) and 2310 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 2344 on extruded stock[3][4][14]
Elongation at break%5.6 ± 0.1 at yield, printed, ISO 527-1[1]3 (printed, ISO 527 and ASTM D638) against 60 on extruded stock — printing costs PPSU almost all of its ductility[3][4][14]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented110 (printed, ISO 178 and ASTM D790, 3DXTech and Stratasys PPSF agree); 91 on extruded stock[3][4][14]
Flexural modulusMPa1100 printed horizontal and 1000 printed vertical, ISO 178[1]2200 (printed, ASTM D790, Stratasys PPSF) and 2215 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech)[3][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²12.9 ± 2.1 printed horizontal and 11.7 ± 1.2 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched[1]Not documented
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 58.7 J/m and unnotched 165.5 J/m (printed, ASTM D256 Method A, Stratasys PPSF); 160 J/m notched on extruded stock[4][14]
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[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell70 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[1]Rockwell M86 on printed PPSF (ASTM D785, Stratasys); M96 on extruded PPSU stock (and an unlabelled 123)[4][14]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedGood. Printed PPSF holds 189 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa (ASTM D648) and extruded stock is rated 149 °C long-term service, but Ensinger does not claim the creep resistance it claims for PSU and PPS[4][14]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable[11]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]190 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C49.9 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]189 (printed, ASTM D648 at 264 psi, Stratasys PPSF); 207 on extruded stock, converted from 405 °F[4][14]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented230 (DSC) — the highest glass transition in the dataset[3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented149 long-term service on extruded PPSU stock, converted from 300 °F[14]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented55.0 (printed PPSF, ASTM D696; source states 5.5e-5 mm/mm/°C) and 55.8 on extruded stock (ASTM D696, from 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[4][14]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[3]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands repeated steam autoclaving, the usual reason to choose PPSU over PSU; Stratasys also lists PPSF as passing 24 h stress-crack exposure to antifreeze, petrol, motor oil, power-steering, transmission and washer fluid at 23 °C and 100 °C[3][4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Absorbs water, properties shift[15]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityBio-based — the monomer comes from castor oil[2]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedVolume resistivity 5e13 to 1.5e14 ohm-cm and dielectric strength 80-290 V/mil on printed PPSF (ASTM D257, D149)[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[17]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[17]
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[17]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[17]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[17]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[17]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[17]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[18][19]Dichloromethane dissolves it at 23 °C at every stress level; acetone solvates and softens unstressed PPSU (Solvay ESCR).[20]
Softened or crazed byMineral acids, oxidants, halogens and zinc chloride solutions attack the amide bond; ordinary solvents do not (BASF, PA6/66).[18]MEK ruptures stressed parts and toluene crazes them above 13.8 MPa; glass-filled grades survive where unfilled craze.[20]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[18]Dichloromethane cements PPSU and NMP softens residual resin; both are laboratory reagents, not workshop stock.[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. Prusament PA11 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2026-07 · tds
  2. Prusament PA11 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  3. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PPSF (polyphenylsulfone) — FDM Data Sheet Stratasys · 2018-06 · tds
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Kimya PPSU-S Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI 3D PPSU 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  10. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  11. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. THERMAX PPSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  14. TECASON P black (PPSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  15. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  17. 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
  18. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  20. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds