3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PCTG vs PPA

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

PCTG guidePPA (polyphthalamide) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PCTG comparisonsMore PPA comparisons
PCTG vs PPA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPCTGPETGPPA (polyphthalamide)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$34.99/kg median; $14.00–$50.67/kg across 5 dated product listings$45.49/kg median; $45.49–$45.49/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) glycol — a copolyester with a higher cyclohexanedimethanol content than PETG[1][2]Polyphthalamide — a semi-aromatic polyamide in which aromatic diacid units replace part of the aliphatic backbone; Raise3D and Bambu Lab both label it high-temperature nylon[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.23 (Extrudr, ASTM D792; 3DXTech, ISO 1183)[2][5]1.21 (ISO 1183, Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA)[6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 34[7][5][8]One 1 kg listing on the market, at 45[9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg14–51 across brands; CHCKX 14 in a 10-roll bundle, Push Plastic 30, Proto-pasta 35 at 1 kg, 3DXTech 51[7][5][10]45 for the only unfilled PPA filament found — Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA at 1 kg; every other PPA in retail is carbon- or glass-filled[9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7][5][8][11]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide — Siraya Tech is the only brand found selling unfilled PPA filament[9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1, 3 and 5 kg spools[7][8][5]1.75 mm, 1 kg[9]
Typical applicationsTransparent covers, guards and impact-loaded parts where PETG cracks[1][2]Gears, bearings and tooling that must hold load above the reach of PA6 or PA12, and parts exposed to fuels and industrial chemicals[6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–270 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[1][2]280–300 (Siraya Tech)[6]
Bed temperature°C60–100 (Spectrum)[1]70–80 (Siraya Tech)[6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine — Spectrum and Extrudr both say a closed chamber is not necessary, Extrudr adds it helps on larger parts[1][2]Enclosure recommended — Siraya Tech advises an enclosure to hold temperature and limit warping on larger prints[6]
Part cooling fanUp to 100 % (Spectrum); 20–50 % (Extrudr)[1][2]20–60 % (Siraya Tech)[6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[12][13]PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a PVP glue coating[6]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s1.6–16 at the 20–200 mm/s Extrudr rates the material for, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2][14]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[12][13]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[13]Not documented
Shrinkage%0.2–0.5 (Extrudr, ASTM D955)[2]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning[1][2]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; needs a 300 °C-class hot end and a dry spool[6]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely — Extrudr explicitly states no hardened nozzle is needed[2]Brass fine indefinitely — Siraya Tech states a hardened steel nozzle is not needed for the unfilled grade[6]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[2]Non-abrasive when unfilled[6]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for PCTG, only a 65 °C pre-dry[15]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Siraya Tech tells users to dry only when moisture symptoms appear, rather than before every print[6]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[16]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[16]High-quality metal nozzle, 0.4–1.0 mm; hardened steel not required (Siraya Tech)[6]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the copolyester matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 65 °C, 4 h pre-dry[12][15]High (0.8–2 %) — Siraya Tech publishes 2.59 % by ISO 62 immersion for the unfilled grade; on the equilibrium basis Bambu Lab uses, its 15 % carbon-filled PPA reaches 1.30 % against 2.35 % for the same maker's PA6-CF[6][4][17]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented2.59 by ISO 62 water immersion (Siraya Tech, unfilled) — an immersion figure, not the 25 °C / 55 % RH equilibrium basis the filled grades are quoted on, so the two are not directly comparable[6]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented80–100 °C for 4–6 h (Siraya Tech)[6]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[18]Oozing, bubbles and a rough surface finish (Siraya Tech)[6]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[18]Siraya Tech publishes dry against saturated for the same grade: tensile 70 → 60 MPa, flexural 114 → 87 MPa, HDT at 1.8 MPa 73.5 → 48.5 °C, while Charpy rises 10 → 14.5 kJ/m²[6][9]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[18][13]Dry box below 15 % RH (Siraya Tech)[6]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa43–44 at yield and 45–46 at break (ISO 527, injection-moulded resin data from Spectrum and Extrudr); 48 on My Tech Fun printed bars[1][2][19]72 at break (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech); the product page quotes 70 dry and 60 saturated[6][9]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented3600 (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech)[6]
Elongation at break%215–220 at break on moulded specimens (ISO 527); 4.3–4.4 at yield[1][2]10.5 at break (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech)[6]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented115 (printed, ISO 178, Siraya Tech); 114 dry against 87 saturated on the product page[6][9]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented3350 (printed, ISO 178, Siraya Tech)[6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²93–94 notched Izod at 23 °C on moulded specimens (ISO 180); 3DXTech quotes 8 by ISO 180/A[1][2][5]10.1 Charpy (printed, ISO 179, Siraya Tech); the data sheet does not state whether the specimen was notched[6]
Other impact dataIzod 4.14 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars, against 3.37 for PETG on the same rig[19]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21.6 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm printed bars, against 32.9 for PETG[19]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2]Moderate — 10.5 % elongation at break puts it between PA6 and the fibre-filled grades[6]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell69 Shore D measured by My Tech Fun, against 72 for PETG[19]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 19.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, slightly worse than PETG's 18.2[19]Good — Raise3D cites high creep resistance as a reason to choose the PPA matrix over other nylons[3]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good — 215 % elongation at break and 94 kJ/m² notched Izod on moulded specimens (Extrudr, Spectrum)[1][2]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[19]Rigid — 3.6 GPa tensile modulus[6]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedSiraya Tech describes the unfilled grade as low-friction and self-lubricating, aimed at gears and bearings[6][9]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented81 dry and 61 saturated (printed, ISO 75 Method B at 0.45 MPa, Siraya Tech)[6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented73.5 dry and 48.5 saturated (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa, Siraya Tech) — unfilled PPA deflects near its Tg; the 190–227 °C figures quoted for PPA are carbon-filled grades[6][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C78 (3DXTech, DSC)[5]80 (ASTM D3418, Siraya Tech)[6]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 88 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[1][2]231 melting point (ASTM D3418) and 230 Vicat (ISO 306), Siraya Tech[6]
Continuous service temperature°C68 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature, against 65 for PETG[19]Not documented
Annealing responseNot documentedSiraya Tech's product page offers annealing for strength while its own data sheet says annealing is not recommended because the print can warp; on its 15 % carbon-filled PPA, annealing lifts HDT at 1.8 MPa from 82.5 to 119 °C[6][9][20]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard grades[21]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[13]Withstands fuels, oils and industrial chemicals; Bambu Lab rates semi-aromatic nylon better than general nylon against weak acids, weak alkalis and most organic solvents[6][4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; Spectrum describes the polymer as hydrophobic[1]Absorbs water, properties shift — a saturated specimen loses about 15 % of its tensile strength and 25 °C of heat-deflection temperature[6][9]
Food contactNot certified for food contact as filament[13]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[13]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[13]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[5]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[22]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[22]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[16]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[16]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[16]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[16]Compatible with quick-release support materials (Siraya Tech)[6]
Dimensional accuracy & detailOptical clarity is the selling point; Extrudr recommends a layer height at most 50 % of nozzle diameter[2]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; Eastman's CHDM copolyester data shows 1,2-dichloroethane destroying it within a week.[23]Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[24]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften the copolyester; methanol crazes it (Eastman, 1 y at 23 °C).[23]Mineral acids, oxidants, halogens and zinc chloride solutions attack the amide bond; ordinary solvents do not.[24]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[25]None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[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. Spectrum Premium PCTG Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Extrudr PCTG technical data Extrudr · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Raise3D Industrial PPA CF Technical Data Sheet V2.0 Raise3D · 2022-04 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PPA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. MAX-G PCTG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · tds
  7. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. CHCKX 10KG Multicolor PCTG Filament bundle CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Atomic Filament product catalogue Atomic Filament · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  13. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. MAX-G PCTG — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PA6-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  20. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA-CF Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  22. 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
  23. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc