3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEEK-CF vs PP-CF

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

Fibre-reinforced PEEK guideCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEEK-CF comparisonsMore PP-CF comparisons
PEEK-CF vs PP-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyFibre-reinforced PEEKHIGHTEMPCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$597.50/kg median; $448.00–$695.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$107.68/kg median; $57.13–$120.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryShort-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]Polypropylene reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[5][6]
Densityg/cm³1.39 (ISO 1183)[1]0.91 (Prusament PP Carbon Fiber, ISO 1183)[5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 448–972; the middle of the market is about 598[2][3][7]1 kg-equivalent spools span 57–138; the middle of the market is about 108[8][2][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg448-972 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]57–138 across brands; Reli3D 57 at 700 g on Amazon, Prusament 108 direct from Prusa and 138 at Printed Solid, 3DXTech CarbonX PP+CF 120[8][11][2][9]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2][3]Available from several mainstream brands[2][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[2][3]1.75 mm; 0.65 kg spools[11][2]
Typical applicationsStiff aerospace and oil-and-gas parts where PEEK alone is not rigid enough[1]Lightweight chemical-resistant parts, automotive clips and ducting that must survive above 150 °C[12]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.04 (Prusament)[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented270 ± 10 (Prusament)[5]
Bed temperature°CNot documented85 ± 10 (Prusament)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[13][14]Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[15][16]
Part cooling fanNot documentedOff — Prusa runs 0 % except 100 % on bridges[5]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented3.2 at Prusa's 40 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[5][17]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre cuts PEEK's crystallisation shrinkage[1]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a brim[5]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedVery difficult — special plates or slurry required[5]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[13][14]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[5]
Extruder requirementNot documentedPrusa states a hardened nozzle is necessary and recommends a brim[5]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Hardened steel required — Prusa states plainly that a hardened nozzle is necessary[5]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[5]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — 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; 3DXTech specifies a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers or higher, and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[6][19]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedNegligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Prusa measures 0.03 % in 24 h and 0.04 % in 7 days on its PP composite, the lowest figures it publishes for any filament[5]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.06 in 24 h on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D570)[4]0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[5]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo 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]Not applicable in practice at 0.04 % equilibrium uptake[5]
Storage requirementNot documentedNo special storage needed[5]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa105 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10); 121 at yield on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[1][4]21 ± 0.4 filament tensile yield (Prusament, ISO 527)[5]
Young's modulusMPa8100 (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10) — more than double unfilled PEEK; 6343 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[1][4]Not documented
Elongation at break%3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527), against 28 for unfilled PEEK[1][20]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa136 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 193 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[1][4]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa8300 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 7171 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[1][4]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented14.5 ± 0.3 printed horizontal and 10.5 ± 0.8 printed vertical XZ (ISO 179-1, notched)[5]
Other impact dataIzod notched 61.9 J/m on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 1.16 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[4]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation falls from 28 % to 3 %[1][20]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[5]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M107 on extruded PEEK-CF30 stock (ASTM D785), against M100 unfilled[4][21]Rockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded unfilled PP stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre PP filament[22]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — holds load for years. Ensinger rates carbon-fibre PEEK stock as very highly creep resistant and specifies 260 °C continuous service[4]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. 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[23][1][20]Good[24]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[5]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C265 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, CarbonX PEEK+CF10) against 140 for unfilled PEEK[1][20]158 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — far above unfilled PP and above most engineering filaments[5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C316 on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 600 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[4]115 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[5]
Glass transition (Tg)°C143 (DSC, CarbonX PEEK+CF10) — the fibre does not move the glass transition[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C334 melting on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 633 °F[4]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C260 long-term on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 500 °F; 300 short term[4]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K14.4 (extruded PEEK-CF30 stock, ASTM D696; source states 0.80e-5 in/in/°F) — about a third of unfilled PEEK[4][21]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 on the base resin; Ensinger lists extruded PEEK-CF30 stock as inherently flame resistant[20][4]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceNot documentedExcellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents[16]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[5]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (ASTM D257)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — 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[25]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission. Inferred: no polyolefin was among the nine filaments in the Azimi chamber study, so this is a family-level judgement rather than a measurement[25]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25]Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[25]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[5]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble in95–98 wt% sulphuric acid dissolves the matrix at 40–70 °C and leaves the fibre. Nothing else touches PEEK.[26][27]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves the matrix at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C, leaving the fibre.[28][29]
Softened or crazed byConcentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[30][27]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[30][27]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[28]

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. CarbonX Carbon Fiber PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. TECAPEEK CF30 black (PEEK-CF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  6. CarbonX PP+CF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D CF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Black 650g — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PP Filament 1.75 mm 700 g Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. IEMAI 3D GF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  14. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. CARBONX PEEK+CF10 — 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 Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  21. TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  22. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  29. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  30. What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc