3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12-CF vs TPU-CF

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

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

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12-CF comparisonsMore TPU-CF comparisons
PA12-CF vs TPU-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PA12 (PA12-CF)PACarbon-fibre TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$109.98/kg median; $52.00–$180.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$107.05/kg median; $107.05–$107.05/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPA12 reinforced with chopped carbon fibre — Polymaker's grade is 10 wt%[1][2]Carbon-fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane at the hard end of the range[3]
Densityg/cm³1.06 (Polymaker Fiberon) and 1.16 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2]1.22 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 2781)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 52–180; the middle of the market is about 110[4][5][6]107 for the only retail listing found (Extrudr 0.5 kg coil, incl. VAT)[7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg52–180 across brands; IEMAI 3D 52, YXPOLYER 80 at 500 g, Polymaker Fiberon 140, 3DXTech CarbonX 180[4][5][8][6]One listing only: EUR 49.56 incl. VAT per 0.5 kg coil, direct from Extrudr; no reseller or second brand found[7]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[4][5]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Extrudr's FLEX HARD CF is the only carbon-filled flexible with a published datasheet found here[3]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools[4][5]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 2 kg coils[7]
Typical applicationsStiff parts that must stay dimensionally stable in changing humidity — Polymaker sells this grade specifically on low moisture sensitivity[9][1]Stiffened flexible parts — damping mounts and semi-rigid brackets[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12 CF)[3]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Bed temperature°C110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12 CF)[3]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[10][1]Open frame is fine[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[11][10]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[12][13]
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[3][14]1.6–8 at the 20–100 mm/s Extrudr specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[11]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[10]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[10]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle needed[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 — Extrudr marks FLEX HARD CF as needing a hardened nozzle where its unfilled FLEX grades do not[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[15]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; a flexible base plus chopped carbon fibre, which Prusa lists as a higher nozzle-clogging risk, and Extrudr requires a hardened nozzle[16][3][12]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[11]Not documented
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[11]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[12]
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][17]Moderate[15]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%1.5 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker Fiberon PA12-CF10)[1]Not documented
Drying temperature & time80–100 °C; storage below 20 % RH[15][1]60 °C for 6 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15]
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][9]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[15]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[15]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[15]
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[18][19]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][20]Not documented
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][20]35 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500)[3]
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]380 ultimate elongation (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500), against 490 for the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
Flexural strengthMPa90 (printed XY, 3DXTech, ISO 178). Stratasys FDM Nylon 12CF spans 152-200 printed XZ against 61-73 in ZX (ASTM D790)[2][20]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]Not documented
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)[20]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][20]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[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[21]70 Shore D (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 868), against 58 Shore D for the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
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[22][1]Below average — no CF-grade creep test; the grade is 70 Shore D where a 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[3][23]
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[22]Good — 380 % ultimate elongation and a damping application set (Extrudr cites longboard wheels), below the unfilled grades[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[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][20]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 4649-A) — the same as the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
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][20]Not documented
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][20]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C55 (DSC, Polymaker Fiberon)[1]-24 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°C171 melting (DSC); Vicat 170.2 (ISO 306)[1]Vicat A 140 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 306)[3]
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)[3][20]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[18]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[10]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[13]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[10]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[13]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; the most humidity-stable nylon composite here[9][1]Not documented
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[10]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[13]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[10]Not biodegradable[13]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[10]Not accepted in household plastic collection[13]
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[24]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[24]
VOC emission rateµg/minUp to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon and the largest single-VOC rate in the study[24]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median for nylon — low for particles despite the highest VOC mass measured[24]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament[24]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[24]Open a window / occasional ventilation[24]
Dust & fibre handling hazardFibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[18]Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[11]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[13]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[11]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[13]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[11]No practical vapour smoothing[13]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[13]
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[9]Tear strength 165 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 34-1B)[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[25]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve the TPU matrix and leave the fibre; ketones are partial solvents. Laboratory reagents.[26]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[25]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[26]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[25]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[26]

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. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  4. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. IEMAI 3D CF-PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Extrudr TPU FLEX Hard CF — product page (1.75 mm, 0.5 and 2 kg coils, price) Extrudr (FD3D GmbH) · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. YXPOLYER PA12 CF 500 g — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  10. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  18. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  19. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  20. FDM Nylon 12CF — Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2025-09 · tds
  21. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  22. TECACOMP PA66 CF30 black — injection-moulding compound Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  24. 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
  25. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds