Filament comparison
PEEK-CF vs PLA Stone
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | Fibre-reinforced PEEKHIGHTEMP | Stone-filled PLAPLA |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $597.50/kg median; $448.00–$695.00/kg across 5 dated product listings | $22.99/kg median; $15.99–$49.16/kg across 6 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | Short-fibre reinforced PEEK. 3DXTech's CarbonX grade is nominally 10 wt% carbon and its FibreX grade 20 wt% glass; LEHVOSS Luvocom 3F PEEK CF 9676 is 15 wt% carbon; Ensinger's machining stock runs to 30 wt% carbon[1][2][3][4] | PLA filled with stone or mineral powder — Formfutura StoneFil declares 40–50 wt% stone powder[5][6] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.39 (ISO 1183)[1] | 1.22 (Bambu Lab PLA Marble) and 1.50–1.70 (Formfutura StoneFil), ISO 1183[6][5] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg-equivalent spools span 448–972; the middle of the market is about 598[2][3][7] | 1 kg spools cluster near 21[8][9] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 448-972 across formats and filler types; IEMAI 3D CF-PEEK and GF-PEEK 448 at 1 kg, 3DXTech CarbonX PEEK+CF10 598 at 2 kg and FibreX PEEK+GF20 695 at 1 kg, Luvocom 3F PEEK CF 9676 648 at 2 kg[2][3][7][10] | 16–49 across brands; SUNLU 16, ELEGOO 19, Polymaker 21, Bambu Lab 25, Prusament 38, Filament PM MarbleJet 49 on 0.5 kg spools[11][9][8][12][13][14] |
| Market availability1–5 | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2][3] | Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][9][11] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[2][3] | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools plus refills[9][5] |
| Typical applications | Stiff aerospace and oil-and-gas parts where PEEK alone is not rigid enough[1] | Architectural models, sculpture and props with a matte mineral surface[6] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | Not documented | 190–230 (Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Bed temperature°C | Not documented | 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Actively heated chamber required[15][16] | Open frame is fine[6] |
| Part cooling fan | Not documented | Fan on[6] |
| Warping tendency1–5 | Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre cuts PEEK's crystallisation shrinkage[1] | Not documented |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Expert / industrial hardware only[15][16] | Easy — minor profile tuning; 0.2 mm nozzles are not usable[17] |
| Extruder requirement | Not documented | Nozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[17] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Hardened steel required[1] | Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work — Bambu Lab's compatibility table says no hardened nozzle is needed while the note under the same table groups PLA Marble with particle-filled materials that should always use one[17] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[1] | Moderately abrasive — stone fill[17][5] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; 3DXTech adds a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers to the mandatory 120 °C pre-dry[18][19] | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[17] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Not documented | Moderate — 0.44 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[6] |
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH% | 0.06 in 24 h on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D570)[4] | 0.44 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Effect of moisture on strength | 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[18] | Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[20] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 105 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10); 121 at yield on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[1][4] | 33 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Young's modulusMPa | 8100 (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10) — more than double unfilled PEEK; 6343 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[1][4] | 2330 ± 240 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Elongation at break% | 3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527), against 28 for unfilled PEEK[1][21] | 6.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | 136 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 193 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[1][4] | 75 ± 5 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 8300 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 7171 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[1][4] | 2920 ± 180 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m² | Not documented | 9.5 ± 2.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Other impact data | Izod notched 61.9 J/m on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 1.16 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[4] | Charpy unnotched 24.0 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[6] |
| Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa | Not documented | 30 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Brittleness1–5 | Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation falls from 28 % to 3 %[1][21] | Brittle — snaps with little warning[6] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Rockwell M107 on extruded PEEK-CF30 stock (ASTM D785), against M100 unfilled[4][22] | Not documented |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Excellent — holds load for years. Ensinger rates carbon-fibre PEEK stock as very highly creep resistant and specifies 260 °C continuous service[4] | Poor — no stone-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[23][24][25] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Good. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term fatigue as well as creep; the fibre cuts elongation at break from 28 % to 3 %, which limits repeated large-strain flexing[26][1][21] | Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and the mineral filler leaves a brittle compound[27][6] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Rigid[6] |
| Z strength as % of XY% | Not documented | 91 by tensile, 73 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | 265 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, CarbonX PEEK+CF10) against 140 for unfilled PEEK[1][21] | 56 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[6] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 316 on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 600 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[4] | 53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[6] |
| Glass transition (Tg)°C | 143 (DSC, CarbonX PEEK+CF10) — the fibre does not move the glass transition[1] | 56 (DSC)[6] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | 334 melting on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 633 °F[4] | 156 peak melt (DSC); Formfutura gives a 120–170 melting range for StoneFil[6][5] |
| Continuous service temperature°C | 260 long-term on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 500 °F; 300 short term[4] | Not documented |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | 14.4 (extruded PEEK-CF30 stock, ASTM D696; source states 0.80e-5 in/in/°F) — about a third of unfilled PEEK[4][22] | Not documented |
| Flammability / UL 94 | UL 94 V-0 on the base resin; Ensinger lists extruded PEEK-CF30 stock as inherently flame resistant[21][4] | Not documented |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Not documented | Degrades within weeks outdoors[28] |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Surface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (ASTM D257)[1] | Not documented |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | 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[29] | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[29] |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[29] | None needed in a normal room[29] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1] | Formfutura's SDS sets an occupational limit of 1 mg/m³ for the stone powder and lists it as both a fibre and a particulate — do not dry-sand without extraction[5] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Not documented | Sands to a stone-like matte surface[5] |
| Support material pairing | Not documented | Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[6] |
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | Not documented | Matte mineral surface hides layer lines; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges as for plain PLA[6] |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | 95–98 wt% sulphuric acid dissolves the matrix at 40–70 °C and leaves the fibre. Nothing else touches PEEK.[30][31] | Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[32] |
| Softened or crazed by | Concentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[33][31] | Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[32][34] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[33][31] | Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[35][34] |
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
- CarbonX Carbon Fiber PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
- TECAPEEK CF30 black (PEEK-CF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- StoneFil safety data sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · msds
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Marble Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- IEMAI 3D CF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
- PLA Marble — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
- Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
- IEMAI 3D GF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
- ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
- Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
- SUNLU High Speed PLA Marble 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
- Filament PM PLA MarbleJet technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
- Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
- Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
- PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- CARBONX PEEK+CF10 — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
- Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- ThermaX PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
- Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
- PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- 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
- 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
- Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
- What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc
- Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
- Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper