3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12-GF vs PPS-CF

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

Glass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF) guideFibre-reinforced PPS guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12-GF comparisonsMore PPS-CF comparisons
PA12-GF vs PPS-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PA12 (PA12-GF)PAFibre-reinforced PPSHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$130.67/kg median; $46.00–$140.18/kg across 3 dated product listings$139.98/kg median; $119.98–$174.17/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPA12 reinforced with chopped glass fibre — 3DXTech's grade is nominally 30 wt%[1]Carbon-fibre reinforced PPS — Polymaker's Fiberon grade is nominally 10 wt%[2]
Densityg/cm³1.23 (ISO 1183)[1]1.29 (Fiberon PPS-CF10) and 1.36 (Fiberon PPS-GF20), ISO 1183[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 46–140; the middle of the market is about 88[4][5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools span 93–174; the middle of the market is about 140[7][8][9][10]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg46–140 across brands; IEMAI 3D 46, 3DXTech 131 at 750 g and 130 at 2 kg, PrimaCreator NylonPower Glass Fiber 140 at 500 g[4][5][6]93-174 across brands and formats; Polymaker Fiberon PPS-GF20 93 at 3 kg, IEMAI 3D CF-PPS 131 at 750 g, LEHVOSS Luvocom 3F PPS CF 9938 164 at 2.3 kg, Bambu Lab PPS-CF 174 at 750 g[7][8][9][10]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[4][5]Available from several mainstream brands[7][8][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools[4][6]1.75 mm; 0.5 kg spools[7]
Typical applicationsStiff, humidity-stable structural parts — the glass gives the modulus, the PA12 matrix limits the moisture drift[1][11]Chemical and automotive parts needing PPS chemistry with structural stiffness[2]
Printing Parameters
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[12]Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker states its Fiberon PPS-CF10 needs no heated chamber, unlike the unfilled sulfones and PAEKs[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[13][12]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[13]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[12]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[12]Expert / industrial hardware only[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — no nozzle-life figure is published for a PA12-GF30 grade; Polymaker measures about 9 h of brass nozzle life on its comparable fibre-filled nylons[14]Hardened steel required[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[14]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[15]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; Polymaker specifies hardened steel or ruby nozzles for carbon-filled PPS and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[16][17]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[13]Not documented
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[13]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High (0.8–2 %) — the PA12 matrix takes up far less than PA6, on the evidence of Polymaker's 1.5 % for PA12-CF10 against 3.33 % for PA6-GF25[18][19]Low (0.1–0.3 %) — 0.225 % equilibrium for Fiberon PPS-CF10 and 0.11 % for PPS-GF20[2][3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.225 equilibrium (Fiberon PPS-CF10); 0.11 (PPS-GF20)[2][3]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker's PA12 grades change little between wet and dry, unlike PA6; the CoPA dry-to-wet blocks show the PA6-type response[11][20]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; equilibrium uptake is 0.225 % and Polymaker specifies a 100 °C, 10 h dry[2]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[15]Not documented
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[14][20]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa82 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]59.4 ± 1.3 (PPS-CF10) and 64.1 ± 2.1 (PPS-GF20) printed XY, ISO 527[2][3]
Young's modulusMPa7800 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]5446.7 ± 149.0 (PPS-CF10) and 4552.0 ± 54.6 (PPS-GF20) printed XY, ISO 527[2][3]
Elongation at break%4.5 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — nearly double the 2.4 % of Polymaker's PA6-GF25[1][19]1.4 ± 0.1 (PPS-CF10) and 2.0 ± 0.2 (PPS-GF20) printed XY, ISO 527 — the lowest elongation in the dataset[2][3]
Flexural strengthMPa94 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa7550 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented5.3 ± 0.2 printed XY for PPS-CF10 and 7.3 ± 0.2 for PPS-GF20, ISO 179 notched[2][3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented32.0 ± 5.1 (PPS-CF10) and 22.9 ± 0.8 (PPS-GF20) printed Z, ISO 527[2][3]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Very brittle — cracks or shatters easily; elongation at break 1.4 %[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M88 / R117 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[21]Rockwell 105 (and R124) on extruded unfilled PPS stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a fibre-filled PPS filament[22]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance for extruded PA66-GF30 stock, and the PA12 matrix absorbs far less water than PA6, so a PA12-GF part holds load better in a humid environment[21][12]Excellent — holds load for years. Ensinger lists high creep resistance for unfilled PPS stock and Spectrum states creep resistance is unchanged under continuous load at high temperature; the fibre raises heat deflection to 252 °C at 0.45 MPa[22][23][2]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. Ensinger lists high fatigue strength as a headline property of extruded PA66-GF30 stock[21]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented54 (PPS-CF10) and 36 (PPS-GF20), printed[2][3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented252.5 (PPS-CF10) and 236.3 (PPS-GF20), printed, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[2][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented133 (PPS-CF10) and 125.8 (PPS-GF20), printed, ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[2][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented97.7 (PPS-CF10) and 95.0 (PPS-GF20), DSC[2][3]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented279.7 (PPS-CF10) and 279.6 (PPS-GF20) melting, DSC; Vicat 267.5 and 272.5 (ISO 306)[2][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented170 long-term service on extruded PPS stock, converted from 338 °F; no figure published for the carbon-filled grade[22]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K48.6 on extruded PA66-GF30 stock (ASTM D696; source states 2.7e-5 in/in/°F) — no figure is published for a glass-fibre PA12 filament[21]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[14]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polyamide yellows under UV[12]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[12]Outstanding — PPS resists essentially all solvents below 200 °C[16]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption relative to PA6-based composites[11]Not documented
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[12]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[12]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[12]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (ASTM D257)[1]Surface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (ANSI/ESD S11.11)[2][3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[24]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[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]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[24]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[13]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[13]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[13]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inFormic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[25]None — PPS does not dissolve in any known solvent below 200 °C.[26][27]
Softened or crazed byZinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[25]Nothing at 23 °C; Ensinger rates it only conditionally resistant to benzene, dichloromethane, toluene and pyridine.[27]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[25]None — no solvent welds or smooths PPS.[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. FibreX PA12-GF30 Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Fiberon PPS-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-07 · tds
  3. Fiberon PPS-GF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-07 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. IEMAI 3D GF-PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. PrimaCreator SELECT NylonPower Glass Fiber product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Bambu Lab PPS-CF Black, spool (750 g) 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. IEMAI 3D CF-PPS 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Fiberon PA6-CF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PPS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Fiberon PA12-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-02 · tds
  19. Fiberon PA6-GF25 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  20. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  21. TECAMID 66 GF30 black (PA66-GF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  22. TECATRON natural (PPS) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Spectrum PPS AM230 Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2022-04 · tds
  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. PPS (Polyphenylene sulfide) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds