3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PA12 vs PVA

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

PA12 (Nylon 12) guidePVA (soluble support) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PA12 comparisonsMore PVA comparisons
PA12 vs PVA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPA12 (Nylon 12)PAPVA (soluble support)SUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$64.33/kg median; $36.00–$170.67/kg across 3 dated product listings$65.98/kg median; $42.00–$96.00/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]Polyvinyl alcohol — a water-soluble support polymer[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.01 specific gravity (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D792)[5]0.6–0.9 (3DXTech AquaTek, ISO 1183) and 1.13 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 36–171; the middle of the market is about 64[6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools span 42–96; the middle of the market is about 66[8][9][10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg36–171 across brands; IEMAI 3D 36, Fiberlogy 64 at 3DJake, 3DXTech AmideX Nylon 12 171[6][8][7]42–96 across brands; IEMAI 3D E-WATER 42, YXPOLYER 55, Reli3D 66 at 500 g, Polymaker PolyDissolve S1 67 at 750 g, 3DXTech AquaTek 96 at 750 g in 1.75 mm[8][9][10][12][11]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][8]Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][9][10][12][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 1 kg spools[8][6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[8][9]
Typical applicationsDimensionally stable functional parts, ducting and living hinges where PA6 would move too much with humidity[1][13]Dissolvable support for PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG — Polymaker names those four for PolyDissolve S1[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[14]215–225 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Bed temperature°C110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)[14]25–60 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required (Simplify3D)[15]Part cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[16]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo[15][1]PEI sheet or painter's tape[16]
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][17]4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[15][1]Sticks to most surfaces[16]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[1]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[16]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[1]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; PVA is unusable once it has taken up moisture[18][4]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer; PVA is a support material, not a model material[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[1]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[13][18]Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet PVA foams and carbonises in the nozzle[18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[15]High — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; Simplify3D warns PVA clogs if the nozzle is left hot while not extruding[16]
Hotend requirementMay require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D)[15]No special hot-end required, but the nozzle must not be parked hot[16]
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]Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker measures 10.21 % equilibrium water absorption, by far the highest in the dataset[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented10.21 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Drying temperature & time60–80 °C for 8–12 h (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); 100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)[14][19]Not documented
Symptoms when wetPopping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects[13]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface; with PVA this progresses to clogging[18]
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][19]Polymaker groups PVA with nylon as the most moisture-prone class and says it often has to stay in a dryer while printing; there is no published dry-versus-conditioned strength comparison because PVA is not a structural material[18]
Storage requirementSealed below 20 % RH with desiccant[18]Sealed with desiccant at all times; PVA takes up water faster than any other filament here[18][4]
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[19][20]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]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa1510 printed XZ and 1250 ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]Not documented
Elongation at break%30 at break printed XZ against 6.5 in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638)[5]Not documented
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]Not documented
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]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — the long-chain polyamides hold load better than PLA but below PC[1]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; PVA is not used structurally[3]
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]Poor — fails after a few cycles[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[13]Not documented
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]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documented3DXTech marks tensile strength, modulus and elongation as not applicable for its PVA support grade — it is not characterised as a structural material[3]
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]Not documented
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]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C34.0 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D7426 inflection point)[5]60 (3DXTech AquaTek, DSC)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°CVicat A 142 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12, ISO 306)[14]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CBounded by a Vicat softening point of 142 °C (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); no loaded-bar service figure is published[14]Bounded by a glass transition of 60 °C[3]
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]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the unfilled grades surveyed[14]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[1]Degrades within weeks outdoors, and dissolves in rain long before UV matters[4]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, fuels and alkalis[1]Dissolves in water; unusable in any wet or humid service environment[4][16]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; the least moisture-sensitive of the common nylons[13]Dissolves or disintegrates — by design[4][3]
Food contactNot food-contact certified as filament[1]Not offered as a food-contact material[3]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[1]PVA is water-soluble and biodegrades in wastewater treatment, but Simplify3D notes disposal should follow local guidance[16]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[1]Dissolved PVA goes to drain rather than to recycling[16]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, 3DXTech AquaTek PVA)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[21]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[21]
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[21]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested[21]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedCaprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study[21]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[21]Open a window / occasional ventilation[21]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — gums rather than powders[15]Not sanded — it is dissolved away rather than finished[16]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide[15]Not applicable — PVA is a sacrificial support[16]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[15]Water is the solvent; no vapour smoothing is used[4]
Support material pairingPolymaker sells a break-away PolySupport matched to PA12[15]This is the support material; Polymaker pairs PolyDissolve S1 with PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG[4]
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.[22][23]Water — tap water works cold, warm moving water is faster; 6–12 h typical, changing the water every few hours.[24][25]
Softened or crazed byNot resistant to 10 % formic acid, phenol, chloroform or dichloromethane (Ensinger); zinc chloride stress-cracks nylon.[23][22]Nothing else: polyvinyl alcohol resists organic solvents, so an IPA or acetone rinse leaves the support intact.[26]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[22]None — water dissolves PVA rather than welding it, and no solvent gives it a smoothed surface.[24]

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. AquaTek PVA Water Soluble Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · 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. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. YXPOLYER PVA 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI 3D E-WATER water-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Reli3D PVA Filament 1.75 mm 500 g Natural — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 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. Nylon — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PVA — 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. PolyMide CoPA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 (dry and wet status blocks) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  20. PolyMide CoPA — Technical Data Sheet page Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  21. 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
  22. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  24. PolyDissolve S1 — Polymaker Wiki Polymaker · 2026-08 · doc
  25. 3DXTech AquaTek PVA product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  26. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds