3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEEK vs PLA Metal

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

PEEK guideMetal-filled PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEEK comparisonsMore PLA Metal comparisons
PEEK vs PLA Metal — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEEKHIGHTEMPMetal-filled PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$531.87/kg median; $296.14–$770.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$79.69/kg median; $24.99–$94.99/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyether ether ketone — a semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone[1]PLA loaded with real metal powder — bronze, copper, steel or iron. Bambu Lab's PLA Sparkle TDS states it has "metal particles included in its composition"; its separately sold PLA Metal does not, and the store page says so explicitly[2][3][4][5][6][7]
Densityg/cm³1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][8]1.26 (Bambu Lab Sparkle, a trace-metal glitter grade) up to 3.9–4.0 for colorFabb bronze and copper and 2.3 for Proto-pasta steel, ISO 1183[5][2][3][9]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 296–770; the middle of the market is about 532[10][11][12]1 kg spools cluster near 78[13][14][4]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg296-770 across brands and spool sizes; 3D4Makers recycled R-PEEK 296 at 750 g, IEMAI 3D 420 at 1 kg, LEHVOSS Luvocom 3F PEEK 9581 532 at 2 kg, 3DXTech ThermaX PEEK 770 at 500 g[10][11][12]25–95 across brands; Bambu Lab Sparkle 25, Proto-pasta iron 65, colorFabb bronze and copper 84, Proto-pasta steel 95[13][4][14][9]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[10][11][8]Available from several mainstream brands[14][4][9][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[10][11][8]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.5 kg spools[15][14]
Typical applicationsAerospace brackets, semiconductor handling, sterilisable medical tooling and downhole parts[1]Decorative castings and props that are polished or left to patinate; the density gives prints a metallic heft[2][4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C380-400 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); Victrex quotes a 340-450 melt range for AM 450 FIL[1][8]195–220 (colorFabb bronze and copper); 192 (Proto-pasta iron); 198 (Proto-pasta steel); 190–230 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[2][4][9][5]
Bed temperature°C130–140 (3DXTech)[1]50–60 (colorFabb, Proto-pasta); 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[2][4][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[16][17]Open frame is fine[2]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot less than 150 for semi-crystalline printing (Victrex AM 450 FIL); bed above 150[8]Not documented
Part cooling fanNot documentedOn (colorFabb copper); 0–100 % (colorFabb bronze)[2][3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedGlass plate with glue stick or tape (colorFabb)[2][3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s for iron and steel, 3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4][9][2][18]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[16]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[16]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[16][17]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; brittle in filament form and slow to print[4][9]
Extruder requirementAn all-metal hot end rated above 400 °C and a heated chamber; 3DXTech tests at 0.25 mm layer height on a 0.4 mm nozzle[1][16]Proto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns that feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[4][9]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[16]Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[4][9]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Moderately abrasive — metal fill[4][9]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[19]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[9]
Hotend requirementNot documentedProto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[4][9]
Other hardware wearNot documentedProto-pasta warns of more frequent nozzle replacement and first-layer adjustment[4][9]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; the metal powder itself does not absorb water[20][21]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.45 at saturation, 23 °C (ISO 62); 0.55 at 100 °C[8]Not documented
Drying temperature & time120 °C for 5 h, target below 0.020 % moisture (Victrex AM 450 FIL)[8]Not documented
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[19]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[22]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa60-100 (printed XY): Victrex AM 450 FIL 60-80 at yield and 3DXTech 100, both ISO 527; 98 at yield injection-moulded[1][8]25 (colorFabb copper) and 30 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; Bambu Lab Sparkle 39 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527[2][3][5]
Young's modulusMPa3000-4000 (printed XY, ISO 527, Victrex AM 450 FIL); 3720 (3DXTech); 4000 injection-moulded[1][8]1940 ± 230 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Elongation at break%28 (printed XY, ISO 527) — remarkably ductile for a high-temperature polymer[1]3–10 (colorFabb copper) and 5–10 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; 11.7 for Bambu Lab Sparkle printed XY[2][3][5]
Flexural strengthMPa130 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]75 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Flexural modulusMPa2700 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2350 ± 140 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²6.0 (injection-moulded, ISO 179/1eA); unnotched does not break[8]23.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Other impact dataIzod notched 7.0 kJ/m2 injection-moulded (ISO 180/A). Printed anisotropy is extreme: VICTREX AM 200 on a Stratasys F900 gives Izod notched 1380-1530 J/m XZ against 30-62 J/m ZX (ASTM D256)[8][23]Izod notched 4.5 kJ/m² for colorFabb bronzeFill and 10 kJ/m² for copperFill (ISO 180); Charpy unnotched 66.5 kJ/m² for Bambu Lab Sparkle[2][3][5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa20-85 at yield (printed ZX, ISO 527, Victrex AM 450 FIL); the spread is set by chamber temperature and weld quality[8]32 ± 2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Brittle — Proto-pasta describes both its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA in filament form[4][9]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellShore D 84.5 (injection-moulded, ISO 868); Rockwell M100 / R125 on extruded PEEK stock (ASTM D785)[8][24]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — holds load for years. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term creep; injection-moulded flexural stress at 3.5 % strain falls only from 125 MPa at 23 °C to 85 MPa at 125 °C, and extruded stock is rated to 249 °C continuous[25][8][24]Poor — no metal-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[26][27][28]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term fatigue as well as creep[25]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and Proto-pasta describes its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA[29][4][9]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[5]
Z strength as % of XY%71-84 (VICTREX AM 200 LMPAEK printed on the Stratasys F900 and Fortus 450mc, ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638); unfilled PEEK's own ZX spread is wider[23]82 by tensile (printed, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C140 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[1]55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C152 (unannealed, ISO 75-2/Af, Victrex AM 450 FIL); 160 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[8][24]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Glass transition (Tg)°C143 (DSC, 3DXTech); Victrex gives onset 143 and midpoint 150 (ISO 11357-2)[1][8]56 (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Melting point / Vicat°C343 melting (ISO 11357-3, Victrex); VICTREX AM 200 LMPAEK melts at 303[8][23]156 peak melt (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[5]
Continuous service temperature°C240 UL 746B relative thermal index, strength (RTI electrical 260, impact 180); Ensinger rates extruded PEEK stock at 249 long term[8][24]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K37.8 (extruded PEEK stock, 23-60 °C, ASTM E831; source states 2.1e-5 in/in/°F), rising to 41.9 at 60-100 °C and 55.8 at 100-150 °C[24]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm on the base resin; glow-wire flammability index 960 °C at 2.0 mm (IEC 60695-2-12)[1][8]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[30]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedProto-pasta markets its iron grade as rustable — the iron oxidises deliberately when exposed to moisture[4]
Chemical resistanceOutstanding — resistant to almost all solvents and to steam sterilisation[1]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; 0.45 % water at saturation and resistant to steam sterilisation[8][1]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedProto-pasta magnetic iron PLA is ferromagnetic and responds to magnets[4]
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[31]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[31]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[31]None needed in a normal room[31]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedPolishing is the intended finish — colorFabb and Proto-pasta both sell these grades to be sanded and buffed to a metallic shine[2][3][9]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedcolorFabb notes the metal fill increases die swell, so flow needs raising above plain PLA[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble in95–98 wt% sulphuric acid dissolves it — 10 g per 100 mL at 40–70 °C gives a dark red solution. Laboratory route only.[32][33]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[34]
Softened or crazed byConcentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[35][33]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[34][36]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[35][33]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[37][36]

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. ThermaX PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. bronzeFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  3. copperFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Sparkle Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. PLA Metal — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Metal Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  8. VICTREX AM 450 FIL — datasheet Victrex · 2025-12 · tds
  9. Stainless Steel PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  10. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI 3D PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. PLA Sparkle — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. bronzeFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  17. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. ThermaX PEEK — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  21. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. VICTREX AM 200 — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2024-04 · tds
  24. TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
  26. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  30. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  31. 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
  32. 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
  33. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  34. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  35. What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc
  36. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  37. 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