3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12 vs PEEK-CF

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

PA12 (Nylon 12) guideFibre-reinforced PEEK guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12 comparisonsMore PEEK-CF comparisons
PA12 vs PEEK-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA12 (Nylon 12)PAFibre-reinforced PEEKHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$64.33/kg median; $36.00–$170.67/kg across 3 dated product listings$597.50/kg median; $448.00–$695.00/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyamide 12 — the longest-chain common nylon, with the fewest amide groups per unit mass and so the least moisture uptake[1][2]Short-fibre reinforced PEEK. 3DXTech's CarbonX grade is nominally 10 wt% carbon and its FibreX grade 20 wt% glass; LEHVOSS Luvocom 3F PEEK CF 9676 is 15 wt% carbon; Ensinger's machining stock runs to 30 wt% carbon[3][4][5][6]
Densityg/cm³1.01 specific gravity (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D792)[7]1.39 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 36–171; the middle of the market is about 64[8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools span 448–972; the middle of the market is about 598[4][5][10]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg36–171 across brands; IEMAI 3D 36, Fiberlogy 64 at 3DJake, 3DXTech AmideX Nylon 12 171[8][4][9]448-972 across formats and filler types; IEMAI 3D CF-PEEK and GF-PEEK 448 at 1 kg, 3DXTech CarbonX PEEK+CF10 598 at 2 kg and FibreX PEEK+GF20 695 at 1 kg, Luvocom 3F PEEK CF 9676 648 at 2 kg[4][5][10][11]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[8][4]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 1 kg spools[4][8]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[4][5]
Typical applicationsDimensionally stable functional parts, ducting and living hinges where PA6 would move too much with humidity[1][12]Stiff aerospace and oil-and-gas parts where PEEK alone is not rigid enough[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[13]Not documented
Bed temperature°C110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[13]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1]Actively heated chamber required[14][15]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required (Simplify3D)[16]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[16][1]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[13][17]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre cuts PEEK's crystallisation shrinkage[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[16][1]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[1]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[1]Expert / industrial hardware only[14][15]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[1]Hardened steel required[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[12][18]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; 3DXTech adds a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers to the mandatory 120 °C pre-dry[19][20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[16]Not documented
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[16]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5High (0.8–2 %) — Polymaker's PA12-CF10 reaches 1.5 % equilibrium against 3.33 % for its PA6-GF25, and Polymaker developed the PA12 grade specifically for lower moisture sensitivity[2][12]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.06 in 24 h on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D570)[6]
Drying temperature & time60–80 °C for 8–12 h (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); 100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[13][21]Not documented
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[12]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker states its PA12 grade changes little between wet and dry, unlike its PA6-based materials; the CoPA dry-to-wet reference shows what the PA6-type response looks like[12][21]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[19]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[18]Not documented
Hydrolysis at melt temperaturePolymaker requires a 100 °C dry for 8 h and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the published wet data is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis[21][22]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa49.3 at yield and 33.4 at break printed XZ (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[7]105 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10); 121 at yield on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[3][6]
Young's modulusMPa1510 printed XZ and 1250 ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[7]8100 (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10) — more than double unfilled PEEK; 6343 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[3][6]
Elongation at break%30 at break printed XZ against 6.5 in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[7]3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527), against 28 for unfilled PEEK[3][23]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented136 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 193 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[3][6]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented8300 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 7171 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[3][6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²11 at +23 °C and 6.0 at -30 °C (Extrudr DuraPro PA12, ISO 179/1eA); unnotched does not break[13]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod notched 138 J/m printed XZ against 71.0 J/m in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D256)[7]Izod notched 61.9 J/m on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 1.16 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[6]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa41.8 at yield and 41.2 at break printed ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638) — higher than the XZ break figure, because XZ specimens draw and neck first[7]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation falls from 28 % to 3 %[3][23]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M107 on extruded PEEK-CF30 stock (ASTM D785), against M100 unfilled[6][24]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — the long-chain polyamides hold load better than PLA but below PC[1]Excellent — holds load for years. Ensinger rates carbon-fibre PEEK stock as very highly creep resistant and specifies 260 °C continuous service[6]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable. Stratasys sells FDM Nylon 12 specifically for repetitive-flex parts such as snap-fit clips and press-fit inserts on the strength of its fatigue properties[1][7]Good. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term fatigue as well as creep; the fibre cuts elongation at break from 28 % to 3 %, which limits repeated large-strain flexing[25][3][23]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[12]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%85 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638) — one of the least anisotropic unfilled filaments measured[7]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C94.7 printed XY and 91.9 in XZ/ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[7]265 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, CarbonX PEEK+CF10) against 140 for unfilled PEEK[3][23]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C84.3 printed XY and 75.3 in XZ/ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[7]316 on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 600 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[6]
Glass transition (Tg)°C34.0 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D7426 inflection point)[7]143 (DSC, CarbonX PEEK+CF10) — the fibre does not move the glass transition[3]
Melting point / Vicat°CVicat A 142 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12, ISO 306)[13]334 melting on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 633 °F[6]
Continuous service temperature°CBounded by a Vicat softening point of 142 °C (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); no loaded-bar service figure is published[13]260 long-term on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 500 °F; 300 short term[6]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K84-103 printed (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM E831: 84.4 in XY and 85.6 in XZ/ZX over -50 to 10 °C, 89.1 over 10-45 °C, 98.2 over 45-70 °C); Extrudr quotes 100 for DURAPRO PA12 (ISO 11359-2)[13][7]14.4 (extruded PEEK-CF30 stock, ASTM D696; source states 0.80e-5 in/in/°F) — about a third of unfilled PEEK[6][24]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the unfilled grades surveyed[13]UL 94 V-0 on the base resin; Ensinger lists extruded PEEK-CF30 stock as inherently flame resistant[23][6]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[1]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[1]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; the least moisture-sensitive of the common nylons[12]Not documented
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[1]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[1]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[1]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (ASTM D257)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[26]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[26]
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[26]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[26]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[26]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[26]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[26]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[16]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[16]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[16]Not documented
Support material pairingPolymaker sells a break-away PolySupport matched to PA12[16]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailHolds dimensions better than PA6 after conditioning — Polymaker singles its PA12 grade out on exactly this point[12]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[27][28]95–98 wt% sulphuric acid dissolves the matrix at 40–70 °C and leaves the fibre. Nothing else touches PEEK.[29][28]
Softened or crazed byNot resistant to 10 % formic acid, phenol, chloroform or dichloromethane (Ensinger); zinc chloride stress-cracks nylon.[28][27]Concentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[30][28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[27]None — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[30][28]

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. PA (Nylon) — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  2. Fiberon PA612-CF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2024-12 · tds
  3. CarbonX Carbon Fiber PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. TECAPEEK CF30 black (PEEK-CF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  7. FDM Nylon 12 — Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2021-09 · tds
  8. Nylon PA12 — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI 3D PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. IEMAI 3D CF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI 3D GF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  14. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  15. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. CARBONX PEEK+CF10 — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  22. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  23. ThermaX PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  24. TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
  26. 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
  27. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  29. The Effects of Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone) Ion Exchange Preparation Conditions on Membrane Properties Yee, Zhang & Ladewig, Membranes 3(3) 182–195 · 2013-07 · paper
  30. What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc