3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12-CF vs PP-CF

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

Carbon-fibre PA12 (PA12-CF) guideCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12-CF comparisonsMore PP-CF comparisons
PA12-CF vs PP-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PA12 (PA12-CF)PACarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$109.98/kg median; $52.00–$180.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$107.68/kg median; $57.13–$120.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPA12 reinforced with chopped carbon fibre — Polymaker's grade is 10 wt%[1][2]Polypropylene reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.06 (Polymaker Fiberon) and 1.16 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2]0.91 (Prusament PP Carbon Fiber, ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 52–180; the middle of the market is about 110[5][6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools span 57–138; the middle of the market is about 108[8][6][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg52–180 across brands; IEMAI 3D 52, YXPOLYER 80 at 500 g, Polymaker Fiberon 140, 3DXTech CarbonX 180[5][6][10][7]57–138 across brands; Reli3D 57 at 700 g on Amazon, Prusament 108 direct from Prusa and 138 at Printed Solid, 3DXTech CarbonX PP+CF 120[8][11][6][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]Available from several mainstream brands[6][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools[5][6]1.75 mm; 0.65 kg spools[11][6]
Typical applicationsStiff parts that must stay dimensionally stable in changing humidity — Polymaker sells this grade specifically on low moisture sensitivity[12][1]Lightweight chemical-resistant parts, automotive clips and ducting that must survive above 150 °C[13]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.04 (Prusament)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12 CF)[14]270 ± 10 (Prusament)[3]
Bed temperature°C110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12 CF)[14]85 ± 10 (Prusament)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[15][1]Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[16][17]
Part cooling fanNot documentedOff — Prusa runs 0 % except 100 % on bridges[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[18][15]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s12 at Extrudr's 150 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[14][19]3.2 at Prusa's 40 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3][19]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedHigh — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a brim[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[18]Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[15]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[15]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedPrusa states a hardened nozzle is necessary and recommends a brim[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — Polymaker measures brass nozzle life at about 9 h on PA12-CF10 and recommends hardened steel or ruby[1]Hardened steel required — Prusa states plainly that a hardened nozzle is necessary[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite; Polymaker puts brass nozzle life at roughly 9 h on PA12-CF10[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[20]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech specifies a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers or higher, and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[4][21]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[18]Not documented
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[18]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High (0.8–2 %) — 1.5 % equilibrium, the lowest of Polymaker's nylon composites and less than half its PA6-GF25[1][22]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Prusa measures 0.03 % in 24 h and 0.04 % in 7 days on its PP composite, the lowest figures it publishes for any filament[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%1.5 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker Fiberon PA12-CF10)[1]0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[3]
Drying temperature & time80–100 °C; storage below 20 % RH[20][1]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker's own dry/wet blocks for PA12-CF10 change little: at 2.92 % moisture tensile falls 77.4 → 71.7 MPa and modulus 3311 → 3132 MPa, against a halving for its PA6 grades[1][12]Not applicable in practice at 0.04 % equilibrium uptake[3]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[20]No special storage needed[3]
Hydrolysis at melt temperaturePolymaker 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[23][24]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa77.4 ± 1.1 printed XY dry (Polymaker Fiberon), 71.7 ± 0.7 conditioned to 2.92 % moisture, ISO 527; 3DXTech quotes 72 at break. Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF spans 76.5-124 at break printed XZ across five machine and tip combinations (ASTM D638)[1][2][25]21 ± 0.4 filament tensile yield (Prusament, ISO 527)[3]
Young's modulusMPa3311 ± 135 printed XY dry and 3132 ± 124 conditioned, ISO 527 (Polymaker Fiberon); 3DXTech quotes 8000. Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF spans 7910-15400 printed XZ against 2130-3000 in ZX (ASTM D638)[1][2][25]Not documented
Elongation at break%4.2 ± 0.4 printed XY dry and 5.3 ± 0.3 conditioned, ISO 527 (Polymaker Fiberon); 3DXTech quotes 2.1 at break[1][2]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa90 (printed XY, 3DXTech, ISO 178). Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF spans 152-200 printed XZ against 61-73 in ZX (ASTM D790)[2][25]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa7900 (printed XY, 3DXTech, ISO 178)[2]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²9.9 ± 0.7 printed XY dry and 10.2 ± 0.8 conditioned, ISO 179 notched (Polymaker Fiberon)[1]14.5 ± 0.3 printed horizontal and 10.5 ± 0.8 printed vertical XZ (ISO 179-1, notched)[3]
Other impact dataIzod notched 102-138 J/m printed XZ against 22.4-45.5 J/m in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF, ASTM D256)[25]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa52.2 ± 0.8 printed Z dry (Polymaker Fiberon) — 67 % of XY, unusually isotropic for a filled nylon; 42.1 ± 1.8 conditioned. Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF gives 32.7-38.4 at break printed ZX (ASTM D638)[1][25]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre PA12 filament[26]Rockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded unfilled PP stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre PP filament[27]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. Ensinger rates its PA66-CF30 compound for sustained static and dynamic load at 110 °C continuous service; the PA12 matrix takes up 1.5 % equilibrium moisture against PA6's several per cent, so a PA12-CF part drifts less in service[28][1]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. Stratasys sells unfilled FDM Nylon 12 specifically for repetitive-flex parts on the strength of its fatigue properties, and Ensinger reports improved fatigue strength for carbon-filled nylon compounds[28]Good[29]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[3]
Z strength as % of XY%31-50 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF, ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638, five machine and tip combinations) against 67 (Polymaker Fiberon PA12-CF10, printed Z against XY)[1][25]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C131 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Polymaker Fiberon). Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF gives 160 printed XY and 168 ZX, and 175 with unidirectional toolpaths (ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[1][25]158 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — far above unfilled PP and above most engineering filaments[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C105 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Polymaker Fiberon). Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF gives 130 printed XY and 154 ZX (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[1][25]115 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C55 (DSC, Polymaker Fiberon)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C171 melting (DSC); Vicat 170.2 (ISO 306)[1]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KStratasys FDM Nylon 12CF gives 116 on XY-built and 37 on ZX-built specimens over -50 to 20 °C, rising to 181 (XY) and 46 (ZX) above the 37.5 °C glass transition (ASTM E831); Extrudr quotes 100 for DURAPRO PA12 CF (ISO 11359-2)[14][25]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[23]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[15]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[15]Excellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents[17]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; the most humidity-stable nylon composite here[12][1]Excellent — essentially unaffected[3]
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[15]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[15]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[15]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Polymaker Fiberon, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[30]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission. Inferred: no polyolefin was among the nine filaments in the Azimi chamber study, so this is a family-level judgement rather than a measurement[30]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[30]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[30]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[30]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[30]Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[30]
Dust & fibre handling hazardFibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[23]Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[18]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[18]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[18]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailPolymaker's own conditioning test found PA12-CF10 was the only nylon that did not grow past its original size after moisture conditioning[12]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[31]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves the matrix at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C, leaving the fibre.[32][33]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[31]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[32]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[31]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[32]

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. Fiberon PA12-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-02 · tds
  2. CarbonX CF PA12 Technical Data Sheet v1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  4. CarbonX PP+CF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D CF-PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Black 650g — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PP Filament 1.75 mm 700 g Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. YXPOLYER PA12 CF 500 g — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  15. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  23. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  24. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  25. FDM Nylon 12CF — Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2025-09 · tds
  26. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  28. TECACOMP PA66 CF30 black — injection-moulding compound Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  30. 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
  31. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  33. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper