3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEBA vs PEKK

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

PEBA (polyether block amide) guidePEKK guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEBA comparisonsMore PEKK comparisons
PEBA vs PEKK — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEBA (polyether block amide)FLEXPEKKHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$60.99/kg median; $60.99–$60.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$525.00/kg median; $332.50–$771.12/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyether block amide: rigid polyamide and flexible polyether blocks.[1]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[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.01 g/cm³ (GB/T 1033; eSUN manufacturer data)[1]1.28 unfilled (ASTM D792, Antero 800NA; 1.31 annealed) and 1.33 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 1183)[3][2]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 550[4][5][6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented333-771 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[4][5][6][7][8]
Market availability1–5Not documentedNiche, a handful of specialist brands[4][5][6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm diameter, 1 kg spool.[9]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[4][5][3]
Typical applicationsManufacturer applications include footwear, sports equipment and cushioning.[1]Aerospace interior and structural parts; 3DXTech labels its carbon-filled PEKK-A grade AERO and Stratasys certifies Antero 800NA for outgassing and FST[2][3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–260 °C; 240 °C recommended.[1]Not documented
Bed temperature°C60–90 °C[1]140 (3DXTech CarbonX PEKK-A CF15)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Not documentedActively heated chamber required[10][11]
Part cooling fan10–50% fan recommended; mechanical-test specimens used 50–100%.[1]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI build plate[1]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s9 mm³/s maximum in eSUN spiral-vase test; mechanical specimens used 2 mm³/s. Linear recommendation 25–110 mm/s is a separate quantity.[1]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedExpert / industrial hardware only[10][11]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Not documentedHardened steel required — the category spans unfilled PEKK, where brass is acceptable, and the carbon-filled aerospace grades that make up most of the market[2][3]
Abrasiveness1–5Not documentedHighly abrasive — most PEKK filament sold is carbon-filled; unfilled Antero 800NA and ThermaX PEKK-A are non-abrasive[2][3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedModerate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[12]
Moisture Behaviour
Drying temperature & time70–75 °C for 6–8 h; re-dry after receiving or extended exposure.[1]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthNot documentedNo 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[12]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa>16.5 MPa printed XY, GB/T 1040; manufacturer lower bound, not an exact measurement.[1]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)[3][2]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented2640-3870 (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA; upper figure annealed); 9125 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][2]
Elongation at break%>520% printed XY, GB/T 1040; manufacturer lower bound.[1]6.1 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA); 2.3 in ZX; 3.15 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 527)[3][2]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented136 at 5 % strain (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 178 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3][2]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented3200 (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 8817 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3][2]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod 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)[3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa7.5 MPa printed Z, GB/T 1040 (manufacturer test)[1]50.1-59.4 at yield (printed ZX, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA); 56.0 for the ESD grade Antero 840CN03[3][13]
Brittleness1–5Not documentedModerate unfilled — 6.1 % elongation at break in plane; brittle in the carbon-filled grades at 3.15 %[3][2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell90 Shore A nominal grade designation; do not compare numerically with Shore D or Rockwell.[9]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedExcellent — 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)[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedRigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented56-82 (Antero 800NA and 840CN03 printed on the F900 and Fortus 450mc, ZX against XZ tensile yield and break, ASTM D638)[3][13]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented158 (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)[3][2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented156-157 (printed, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi, Antero 800NA); moulded 147[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented156 (ASTM D7426, Antero 800NA); 165 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[3][2]
Melting point / Vicat°C110 °C Vicat softening (GB/T 1633, 120 °C/h, 10 N); not HDT or a continuous-use rating.[1]300 melt point (ASTM D7426 peak heat, Antero 800NA); 305 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[3][2]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented36.1 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[3][13]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — 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 %[3]
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[3][2][13]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Not documentedModerate — 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[14]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Not documentedVentilated room or enclosure recommended[14]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNot documentedConcentrated sulphuric acid, as for PEEK; no common organic solvent touches a polyaryletherketone.[15][16]
Softened or crazed byNot documentedConcentrated sulphuric acid and liquid Freon are the entries Ensinger marks not resistant; acetone, MEK and toluene do nothing.[15]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNot documentedNone — no solvent softens a polyaryletherketone.[15]

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. eSUN PEBA-90A Technical Data Sheet v1.0 (Aug 2025), checked 2026-10-17 eSUN · 2025-08 · tds
  2. CarbonX Carbon Fiber PEKK-A CF15 Technical Data Sheet v1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Antero 800NA — FDM Material Data Sheet (PEKK-based) Stratasys · 2025-08 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Kimya PEKK-A Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Kimya PEKK Carbon Grey 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI 3D PEKK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. eSUN PEBA-90A official product page: 1 kg price and product identity eSUN · 2026-10-17 · vendor
  10. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  11. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  12. THERMAX PEKK-A — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Antero 840CN03 — FDM Material Data Sheet (PEKK, ESD) Stratasys · 2024-08 · tds
  14. 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
  15. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  16. 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