3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEEK vs rPLA

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

PEEK guideRecycled PLA (rPLA) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEEK comparisonsMore rPLA comparisons
PEEK vs rPLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEEKHIGHTEMPRecycled PLA (rPLA)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$531.87/kg median; $296.14–$770.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$20.79/kg median; $16.05–$40.64/kg across 8 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyether ether ketone — a semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone[1]PLA regranulated from post-industrial PLA manufacturing waste; post-consumer feedstock is rare[2][3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][5]1.24 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 296–770; the middle of the market is about 532[6][7][8]1 kg spools run 20–22[9][10][11]
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[6][7][8]16–41 across brands; Fiberlogy refill 16, Filamentive 750 g 41[12][13]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][7][5]Available from several mainstream brands[3][4][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[6][7][5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[14][12][3]
Typical applicationsAerospace brackets, semiconductor handling, sterilisable medical tooling and downhole parts[1]General-purpose printing where the feedstock's recycled content matters more than an exact colour match[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 guaranteed by Prusa Research today; the 2021 datasheet specified ±0.05, against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PLA[3][2][15]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C380-400 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); Victrex quotes a 340-450 melt range for AM 450 FIL[1][5]210 ± 10 (Prusament); 200 ± 15 (Filamentive)[2][4]
Bed temperature°C130–140 (3DXTech)[1]40–60 (Prusament); up to 60 (Filamentive)[2][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[16][17]Open frame is fine[2][18]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot less than 150 for semi-crystalline printing (Victrex AM 450 FIL); bed above 150[5]Not documented
Part cooling fanNot documented100 %[2]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[16]None — brim not generally needed[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[16]Sticks to anything[19]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[16][17]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[2][18]
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]Not documented
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 fine indefinitely[18]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[20][18]
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[21]Very low[18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[22]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[19]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate — 0.3 % after both 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method), against 0.19 % in 7 days for virgin Prusament PLA[2][15]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.45 at saturation, 23 °C (ISO 62); 0.55 at 100 °C[5]0.3 after 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method)[2]
Drying temperature & time120 °C for 5 h, target below 0.020 % moisture (Victrex AM 450 FIL)[5]Not documented
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[23]
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[21]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[23]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[24][19]
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][5]49 printed horizontal and 55 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1, yield); virgin Prusament PLA gives 51 and 59 by the same method[2][15]
Young's modulusMPa3000-4000 (printed XY, ISO 527, Victrex AM 450 FIL); 3720 (3DXTech); 4000 injection-moulded[1][5]2100 printed horizontal, 2300 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2300 and 2400[2][15]
Elongation at break%28 (printed XY, ISO 527) — remarkably ductile for a high-temperature polymer[1]3.1 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2.9[2][15]
Flexural strengthMPa130 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]82 printed horizontal, 87 printed vertical XZ (ISO 178); virgin Prusament PLA 83 and 99[2][15]
Flexural modulusMPa2700 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]3100 printed horizontal (ISO 178) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[2][15]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²6.0 (injection-moulded, ISO 179/1eA); unnotched does not break[5]Not documented
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)[5][25]Charpy unnotched 14.0 printed horizontal (ISO 179-1); virgin Prusament PLA 13[2][15]
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[5]21 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test); virgin Prusament PLA 17 ± 3 by the same test[2][15]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[22][20]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellShore D 84.5 (injection-moulded, ISO 868); Rockwell M100 / R125 on extruded PEEK stock (ASTM D785)[5][26]80 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); virgin Prusament PLA 81[2][15]
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[27][5][26]Poor — no recycled-PLA creep data published; virgin PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[28][29]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term fatigue as well as creep[27]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength (R = 0.2)[30][22]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[20]
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[25]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C140 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[1]55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[2][15]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C152 (unannealed, ISO 75-2/Af, Victrex AM 450 FIL); 160 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[5][26]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa); virgin Prusament PLA 55[2][15]
Glass transition (Tg)°C143 (DSC, 3DXTech); Victrex gives onset 143 and midpoint 150 (ISO 11357-2)[1][5]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C343 melting (ISO 11357-3, Victrex); VICTREX AM 200 LMPAEK melts at 303[5][25]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C240 UL 746B relative thermal index, strength (RTI electrical 260, impact 180); Ensinger rates extruded PEEK stock at 249 long term[5][26]55 (Filamentive states heat resistance up to 55 °C)[4]
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[26]96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[31]
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][5]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[24][32]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[22][33]
Chemical resistanceOutstanding — resistant to almost all solvents and to steam sterilisation[1]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[32][22]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; 0.45 % water at saturation and resistant to steam sterilisation[5][1]Good — insoluble in water[24]
Food contactNot documentedFilamentive certifies its rPLA to EN 71-3 and lists it food safe; printed layer grooves still harbour bacteria[4][22]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[4]
RecyclabilityNot documentedThe feedstock itself; Filamentive uses 50 % post-industrial content and runs a PLA take-back scheme[4][13]
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[34]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[34]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedPrusament rPLA Corn Pigment uses organic waste pigments such as red algae, which give a noticeable scent while printing[3]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[34]None needed in a normal room[34]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[33][22]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedSuperglue for most joints; acetone works on some grades depending on additives and colour[3]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[22]
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.[35][36]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[37]
Softened or crazed byConcentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[38][36]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[37][39]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[38][36]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[40][39]

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. Prusament PLA Recycled Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2021-12 · tds
  3. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. VICTREX AM 450 FIL — datasheet Victrex · 2025-12 · tds
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI 3D PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3D-Fuel ReFuel Recycled PLA 1kg 3D-Fuel · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Proto-pasta Black Recycled PLA 1kg Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Formfutura ReForm rPLA (White) 1kg Filament2Print · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Filamentive PLA (rPLA) 750 g CREATE Education · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Kimya PLA-R 750 g Crea3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  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. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  21. ThermaX PEEK — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  25. VICTREX AM 200 — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2024-04 · tds
  26. TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
  28. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  31. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  32. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  33. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  34. 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
  35. 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
  36. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  37. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  38. What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc
  39. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  40. 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