3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEEK-CF vs PPSU

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

Fibre-reinforced PEEK guidePPSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEEK-CF comparisonsMore PPSU comparisons
PEEK-CF vs PPSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyFibre-reinforced PEEKHIGHTEMPPPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$597.50/kg median; $448.00–$695.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$337.40/kg median; $223.00–$732.56/kg across 4 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]Polyphenylsulfone — an amorphous high-temperature sulfone polymer[5]
Densityg/cm³1.39 (ISO 1183)[1]1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech; ASTM D792, Stratasys PPSF)[5][6]
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 223–733; the middle of the market is about 425[2][8][3][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]223-733 across brands; IEMAI 3D 223 at 1 kg, 3DXTech ThermaX PPSU 250 at 500 g, 3D4Makers 425 at 750 g, Kimya PPSU-S 733 at 500 g[2][8][3][9]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2][3]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2][8][3]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[2][3]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 750 g spools[2][8][3]
Typical applicationsStiff aerospace and oil-and-gas parts where PEEK alone is not rigid enough[1]Steam-sterilisable medical and dental tooling, and aircraft interior parts[5]
Printing Parameters
Bed temperature°CNot documented130–150 (3DXTech)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[11][12]Actively heated chamber required[11][12]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre cuts PEEK's crystallisation shrinkage[1]Severe — heated chamber needed[11]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[11][12]Expert / industrial hardware only[11][12]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[11]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[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[13][14]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[15]
Moisture Behaviour
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.06 in 24 h on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D570)[4]0.37 in 24 h and 1.1 at saturation on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[16]
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[13]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[15]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa105 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10); 121 at yield on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[1][4]55 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) and 55 (printed on side long edge, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF); 79 at yield on extruded stock[5][6][16]
Young's modulusMPa8100 (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10) — more than double unfilled PEEK; 6343 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[1][4]2100 (printed, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF) and 2310 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 2344 on extruded stock[5][6][16]
Elongation at break%3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527), against 28 for unfilled PEEK[1][17]3 (printed, ISO 527 and ASTM D638) against 60 on extruded stock — printing costs PPSU almost all of its ductility[5][6][16]
Flexural strengthMPa136 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 193 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[1][4]110 (printed, ISO 178 and ASTM D790, 3DXTech and Stratasys PPSF agree); 91 on extruded stock[5][6][16]
Flexural modulusMPa8300 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 7171 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[1][4]2200 (printed, ASTM D790, Stratasys PPSF) and 2215 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech)[5][6]
Other impact dataIzod notched 61.9 J/m on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 1.16 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[4]Izod notched 58.7 J/m and unnotched 165.5 J/m (printed, ASTM D256 Method A, Stratasys PPSF); 160 J/m notched on extruded stock[6][16]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation falls from 28 % to 3 %[1][17]Brittle — snaps with little warning[5]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M107 on extruded PEEK-CF30 stock (ASTM D785), against M100 unfilled[4][18]Rockwell M86 on printed PPSF (ASTM D785, Stratasys); M96 on extruded PPSU stock (and an unlabelled 123)[6][16]
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]Good. Printed PPSF holds 189 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa (ASTM D648) and extruded stock is rated 149 °C long-term service, but Ensinger does not claim the creep resistance it claims for PSU and PPS[6][16]
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[19][1][17]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[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][17]190 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C316 on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 600 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[4]189 (printed, ASTM D648 at 264 psi, Stratasys PPSF); 207 on extruded stock, converted from 405 °F[6][16]
Glass transition (Tg)°C143 (DSC, CarbonX PEEK+CF10) — the fibre does not move the glass transition[1]230 (DSC) — the highest glass transition in the dataset[5]
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]149 long-term service on extruded PPSU stock, converted from 300 °F[16]
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][18]55.0 (printed PPSF, ASTM D696; source states 5.5e-5 mm/mm/°C) and 55.8 on extruded stock (ASTM D696, from 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[6][16]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 on the base resin; Ensinger lists extruded PEEK-CF30 stock as inherently flame resistant[17][4]UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[5]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands repeated steam autoclaving, the usual reason to choose PPSU over PSU; Stratasys also lists PPSF as passing 24 h stress-crack exposure to antifreeze, petrol, motor oil, power-steering, transmission and washer fluid at 23 °C and 100 °C[5][6]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (ASTM D257)[1]Volume resistivity 5e13 to 1.5e14 ohm-cm and dielectric strength 80-290 V/mil on printed PPSF (ASTM D257, D149)[6]
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[20]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[20]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[20]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[20]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble in95–98 wt% sulphuric acid dissolves the matrix at 40–70 °C and leaves the fibre. Nothing else touches PEEK.[21][22]Dichloromethane dissolves it at 23 °C at every stress level; acetone solvates and softens unstressed PPSU (Solvay ESCR).[23]
Softened or crazed byConcentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[24][22]MEK ruptures stressed parts and toluene crazes them above 13.8 MPa; glass-filled grades survive where unfilled craze.[23]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[24][22]Dichloromethane cements PPSU and NMP softens residual resin; both are laboratory reagents, not workshop stock.[23]

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. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PPSF (polyphenylsulfone) — FDM Data Sheet Stratasys · 2018-06 · tds
  7. IEMAI 3D CF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Kimya PPSU-S Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI 3D PPSU 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. IEMAI 3D GF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  12. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  13. CARBONX PEEK+CF10 — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. THERMAX PPSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  16. TECASON P black (PPSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  17. ThermaX PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  18. TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  19. PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  24. What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc