3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12 vs PEKK

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

PA12 (Nylon 12) guidePEKK guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12 comparisonsMore PEKK comparisons
PA12 vs PEKK — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA12 (Nylon 12)PAPEKKHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$64.33/kg median; $36.00–$170.67/kg across 3 dated product listings$525.00/kg median; $332.50–$771.12/kg across 6 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]Polyether ketone ketone, amorphous grade — a polyaryletherketone that stays amorphous, so it does not need PEEK's crystallisation control. Stratasys sells it as Antero 800NA and Antero 840CN03; category numbers below are unfilled unless a carbon grade is named[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.01 specific gravity (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D792)[5]1.28 unfilled (ASTM D792, Antero 800NA; 1.31 annealed) and 1.33 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 1183)[4][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 36–171; the middle of the market is about 64[6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 550[8][9][10]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg36–171 across brands; IEMAI 3D 36, Fiberlogy 64 at 3DJake, 3DXTech AmideX Nylon 12 171[6][8][7]333-771 across grades and formats; 3DXTech CarbonX PEKK-A+CF15 333 at 2 kg, 3D4Makers unfilled PEKK-A 485 at 2 kg, IEMAI 3D 500 at 1 kg, Kimya PEKK Carbon 771 at 500 g[8][9][10][11][12]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][8]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[8][9][10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 1 kg spools[8][6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[8][9][4]
Typical applicationsDimensionally stable functional parts, ducting and living hinges where PA6 would move too much with humidity[1][13]Aerospace interior and structural parts; 3DXTech labels its carbon-filled PEKK-A grade AERO and Stratasys certifies Antero 800NA for outgassing and FST[3][4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[14]Not documented
Bed temperature°C110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[14]140 (3DXTech CarbonX PEKK-A CF15)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1]Actively heated chamber required[15][16]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required (Simplify3D)[17]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[17][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[14][18]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[17][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[15][16]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[1]Hardened steel required — the category spans unfilled PEKK, where brass is acceptable, and the carbon-filled aerospace grades that make up most of the market[3][4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Highly abrasive — most PEKK filament sold is carbon-filled; unfilled Antero 800NA and ThermaX PEKK-A are non-abrasive[3][4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[13][19]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[17]Not documented
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[17]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][13]Not documented
Drying temperature & time60–80 °C for 8–12 h (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); 100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[14][21]Not documented
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[13]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[13][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[20]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[19]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)[5]86.7-90.0 at yield and 73.0 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA on the F900 and Fortus 450mc); 88.8 at break annealed; 126 at break for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 527)[4][3]
Young's modulusMPa1510 printed XZ and 1250 ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]2640-3870 (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA; upper figure annealed); 9125 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 527)[4][3]
Elongation at break%30 at break printed XZ against 6.5 in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]6.1 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA); 2.3 in ZX; 3.15 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 527)[4][3]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented136 at 5 % strain (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 178 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[4][3]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented3200 (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 8817 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[4][3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²11 at +23 °C and 6.0 at -30 °C (Extrudr DuraPro PA12, ISO 179/1eA); unnotched does not break[14]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod notched 138 J/m printed XZ against 71.0 J/m in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D256)[5]Izod notched 41.1 J/m XZ and 33.3 J/m ZX; unnotched 1730 J/m XZ against 203 J/m ZX (printed, ASTM D256/D4812, Antero 800NA)[4]
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[5]50.1-59.4 at yield (printed ZX, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA); 56.0 for the ESD grade Antero 840CN03[4][23]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Moderate unfilled — 6.1 % elongation at break in plane; brittle in the carbon-filled grades at 3.15 %[4][3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — the long-chain polyamides hold load better than PLA but below PC[1]Excellent — holds load for years. Antero 800NA still holds 82 % of its room-temperature ZX tensile strength at 104 °C and 63 % at 132 °C (printed, ASTM D638)[4]
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][5]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[13]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[5]56-82 (Antero 800NA and 840CN03 printed on the F900 and Fortus 450mc, ZX against XZ tensile yield and break, ASTM D638)[4][23]
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)[5]158 (printed XY and ZX, ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi, Antero 800NA); 285 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa)[4][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C84.3 printed XY and 75.3 in XZ/ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[5]156-157 (printed, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi, Antero 800NA); moulded 147[4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C34.0 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D7426 inflection point)[5]156 (ASTM D7426, Antero 800NA); 165 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[4][3]
Melting point / Vicat°CVicat A 142 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12, ISO 306)[14]300 melt point (ASTM D7426 peak heat, Antero 800NA); 305 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[4][3]
Continuous service temperature°CBounded by a Vicat softening point of 142 °C (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); no loaded-bar service figure is published[14]Not documented
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)[14][5]36.1 in XY and 50.2 in ZX (printed, 40-140 °C, ASTM E831, Antero 800NA); 47.4 and 51.2 for the ESD grade Antero 840CN03[4][23]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the unfilled grades surveyed[14]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[1]Good — years with some colour shift. 1000 h of QUV cycling to ASTM G154 left Antero 800NA's yield strength unchanged at 57 MPa and raised stress at break 3.6 %[4]
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[13]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 documentedUnfilled PEKK is an insulator at above 1.4e14 ohm-cm (ASTM D257); CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 sits above 10^7 ohm/sq, and the Antero 840CN03 ESD grade is specified at 10^4-10^9 ohm-cm[4][3][23]
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; total VOC reached nearly 200 µg/min, the highest of the nine filaments tested[24]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[24]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[24]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[24]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[24]
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[17]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[17]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[17]Not documented
Support material pairingPolymaker sells a break-away PolySupport matched to PA12[17]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailHolds dimensions better than PA6 after conditioning — Polymaker singles its PA12 grade out on exactly this point[13]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[25][26]Concentrated sulphuric acid, as for PEEK; no common organic solvent touches a polyaryletherketone.[26][27]
Softened or crazed byNot resistant to 10 % formic acid, phenol, chloroform or dichloromethane (Ensinger); zinc chloride stress-cracks nylon.[26][25]Concentrated sulphuric acid and liquid Freon are the entries Ensinger marks not resistant; acetone, MEK and toluene do nothing.[26]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[25]None — no solvent softens a polyaryletherketone.[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. 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 PEKK-A CF15 Technical Data Sheet v1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Antero 800NA — FDM Material Data Sheet (PEKK-based) Stratasys · 2025-08 · tds
  5. FDM Nylon 12 — Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2021-09 · tds
  6. Nylon PA12 — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D PA12 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Kimya PEKK-A Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Kimya PEKK Carbon Grey 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI 3D PEKK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Moisture Conditioning — effect on printed nylon properties Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  15. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  16. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. THERMAX PEKK-A — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 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. Antero 840CN03 — FDM Material Data Sheet (PEKK, ESD) Stratasys · 2024-08 · 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. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. 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