3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-CF vs PEEK

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

Carbon-fibre PC (PC-CF) guidePEEK guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-CF comparisonsMore PEEK comparisons
PC-CF vs PEEK — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PC (PC-CF)PCPEEKHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$62.58/kg median; $34.99–$117.33/kg across 6 dated product listings$531.87/kg median; $296.14–$770.00/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1][2]Polyether ether ketone — a semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone[3]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Prusament) and 1.36 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2]1.30 (ISO 1183)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 35–117; the middle of the market is about 63[5][6][7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools span 296–770; the middle of the market is about 532[7][10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg35–117 across brands; Ambrosia 35, IEMAI 39, YXPOLYER 55, Spectrum PC CF 70, Prusament 94, 3DXTech 117[5][6][7][8][9]296-770 across brands and spool sizes; 3D4Makers recycled R-PEEK 296 at 750 g, IEMAI 3D 420 at 1 kg, LEHVOSS Luvocom 3F PEEK 9581 532 at 2 kg, 3DXTech ThermaX PEEK 770 at 500 g[7][10][11]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][7][12]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][10][4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools[5][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[7][10][4]
Typical applicationsStiff high-temperature structural parts — jigs, drone frames and under-bonnet brackets[1][2]Aerospace brackets, semiconductor handling, sterilisable medical tooling and downhole parts[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C285 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]380-400 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); Victrex quotes a 340-450 melt range for AM 450 FIL[3][4]
Bed temperature°C110 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]130–140 (3DXTech)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][13]Actively heated chamber required[14][15]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documentedNot less than 150 for semi-crystalline printing (Victrex AM 450 FIL); bed above 150[4]
Part cooling fanOff — Prusa allows 0–20 % and warns cooling significantly reduces interlayer adhesion[1]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[16]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled PC[1][13]Severe — heated chamber needed[14]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[16][17]Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[14]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[17]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[13][1]Expert / industrial hardware only[14][15]
Extruder requirementNot documentedAn all-metal hot end rated above 400 °C and a heated chamber; 3DXTech tests at 0.25 mm layer height on a 0.4 mm nozzle[3][14]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[13]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[14]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[13]Non-abrasive when unfilled[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; PC already absorbs water from the air and 3DXTech adds a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle, 0.25 mm layers and a 120 °C pre-dry[18][16][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 sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[16]Not documented
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[16]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1–0.3 %) — the PC matrix takes up 0.15–0.25 % and 3DXTech specifies a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry[21][22][18]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.11 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[1]0.45 at saturation, 23 °C (ISO 62); 0.55 at 100 °C[4]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented120 °C for 5 h, target below 0.020 % moisture (Victrex AM 450 FIL)[4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[23]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic and requires a 70–80 °C dry for 6–8 h; run wet, the loss shows as surface defects and poor layer adhesion[17][23]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 requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[17]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa64 ± 3 printed horizontal and 70 ± 3 printed vertical at yield, ISO 527-1 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 73 at break[1][2]60-100 (printed XY): Victrex AM 450 FIL 60-80 at yield and 3DXTech 100, both ISO 527; 98 at yield injection-moulded[3][4]
Young's modulusMPa2600 printed horizontal and 3200 printed vertical, ISO 527-1 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 6980[1][2]3000-4000 (printed XY, ISO 527, Victrex AM 450 FIL); 3720 (3DXTech); 4000 injection-moulded[3][4]
Elongation at break%4.6 at yield printed horizontal (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 2.1 at break[1][2]28 (printed XY, ISO 527) — remarkably ductile for a high-temperature polymer[3]
Flexural strengthMPa94 ± 3 printed horizontal and 130 ± 2 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 85[1][2]130 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa3500 printed horizontal and 4200 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 6540[1][2]2700 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²12 ± 1 printed horizontal and 17 ± 2 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament)[1]6.0 (injection-moulded, ISO 179/1eA); unnotched does not break[4]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 32 ± 5 printed horizontal and 35 ± 4 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1)[1]Izod notched 7.0 kJ/m2 injection-moulded (ISO 180/A). Printed anisotropy is extreme: VICTREX AM 200 on a Stratasys F900 gives Izod notched 1380-1530 J/m XZ against 30-62 J/m ZX (ASTM D256)[4][24]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa23 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test) — above the 21 ± 2 of unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][22]20-85 at yield (printed ZX, ISO 527, Victrex AM 450 FIL); the spread is set by chamber temperature and weld quality[4]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1][2]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell83 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method), against 79 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][22]Shore D 84.5 (injection-moulded, ISO 868); Rockwell M100 / R125 on extruded PEEK stock (ASTM D785)[4][25]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — holds load for years. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded unfilled PC ran unbroken at 41 MPa until the test was stopped; short carbon fibre raises the flexural modulus from about 2.1 to 3.5-6.5 GPa, which reduces creep strain further[26][1]Excellent — holds load for years. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term creep; injection-moulded flexural stress at 3.5 % strain falls only from 125 MPa at 23 °C to 85 MPa at 125 °C, and extruded stock is rated to 249 °C continuous[27][4][25]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. No fatigue test data was found for a carbon-fibre PC filament; the unfilled polymer is rated Good on the same scale[26]Excellent — living hinges viable. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term fatigue as well as creep[27]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented71-84 (VICTREX AM 200 LMPAEK printed on the Stratasys F900 and Fortus 450mc, ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638); unfilled PEEK's own ZX spread is wider[24]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C114 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Prusament)[1]140 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C106 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Prusament), against 93 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][22]152 (unannealed, ISO 75-2/Af, Victrex AM 450 FIL); 160 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[4][25]
Glass transition (Tg)°C127 (3DXTech, DSC)[2]143 (DSC, 3DXTech); Victrex gives onset 143 and midpoint 150 (ISO 11357-2)[3][4]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented343 melting (ISO 11357-3, Victrex); VICTREX AM 200 LMPAEK melts at 303[4][24]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[22]240 UL 746B relative thermal index, strength (RTI electrical 260, impact 180); Ensinger rates extruded PEEK stock at 249 long term[4][25]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented37.8 (extruded PEEK stock, 23-60 °C, ASTM E831; source states 2.1e-5 in/in/°F), rising to 41.9 at 60-100 °C and 55.8 at 100-150 °C[25]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm on the base resin; glow-wire flammability index 960 °C at 2.0 mm (IEC 60695-2-12)[3][4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[17]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[17]Outstanding — resistant to almost all solvents and to steam sterilisation[3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected; 0.45 % water at saturation and resistant to steam sterilisation[4][3]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[17]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[17]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[17]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[2]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[28]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[28]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[28]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[28][13]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[28]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[16]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[16]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[16]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[16]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[29]95–98 wt% sulphuric acid dissolves it — 10 g per 100 mL at 40–70 °C gives a dark red solution. Laboratory route only.[30][31]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[29]Concentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[32][31]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[33]None — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[32][31]

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. Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v2.0 Prusa Polymers · 2023-04 · tds
  2. CarbonX Carbon Fiber ezPC Polycarbonate Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. ThermaX PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. VICTREX AM 450 FIL — datasheet Victrex · 2025-12 · tds
  5. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Spectrum PC CF Carbon Black, 1.75 mm / 250 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI CF-PC 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. YXPOLYER PC CF product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI 3D PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  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. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. CARBONX ezPC+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. ThermaX PEEK — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  23. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. VICTREX AM 200 — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2024-04 · tds
  25. TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  27. PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
  28. 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
  29. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  30. 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
  31. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  32. What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds