3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEEK vs PP

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

PEEK guidePolypropylene (PP) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEEK comparisonsMore PP comparisons
PEEK vs PP — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEEKHIGHTEMPPolypropylene (PP)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$531.87/kg median; $296.14–$770.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$46.56/kg median; $31.99–$53.00/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyether ether ketone — a semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone[1]Polypropylene — a semi-crystalline polyolefin with no polar groups, so it neither absorbs water nor bonds to most bed surfaces[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][4]0.91 (Prusa PP composite, ISO 1183) — the lightest common filament[5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 296–770; the middle of the market is about 532[6][7][8]1 kg-equivalent spools span 27–53; the middle of the market is about 44[9][10][11][12]
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]27–53 across brands; Reli3D 32 on Amazon, SUNLU 44 at 0.8 kg, Fiberlogy 49 at 750 g, IEMAI 3D 53, and the 3DJake PP listing spans 27–49[9][13][10][11][12]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][7][4]Available from several mainstream brands[13][10][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[6][7][4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 kg spools are common[10]
Typical applicationsAerospace brackets, semiconductor handling, sterilisable medical tooling and downhole parts[1]Living hinges, chemical-resistant containers, automotive clips and packaging prototypes[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C380-400 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); Victrex quotes a 340-450 melt range for AM 450 FIL[1][4]210–230 (Braskem-type PE/PP window); Formfutura's Centaur PP melts at 205 ± 15 °C[2]
Bed temperature°C130–140 (3DXTech)[1]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[14][15]Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[16][3]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot less than 150 for semi-crystalline printing (Victrex AM 450 FIL); bed above 150[4]Not documented
Part cooling fanNot documentedPart cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[16]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPacking tape, a polypropylene sheet, or a PP-specific adhesive such as Magigoo PP — ordinary PLA and ABS adhesives do not hold it[16][3]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[14]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; PP's crystallinity drives shrinkage and Prusa recommends a brim on its PP grades[5][17]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[14]Very difficult — special plates or slurry required. PP bonds to almost nothing; a polypropylene-specific tape or adhesive is the normal answer[5][3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[14][15]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; bed adhesion is the whole problem[3][5]
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][14]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[14]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades — Simplify3D states no special hotend is required[16]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[16]
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[18]Low — Simplify3D lists no special hotend requirement for PP and clogging is not among its listed drawbacks[19][16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[16]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required (Simplify3D)[16]
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%0.45 at saturation, 23 °C (ISO 62); 0.55 at 100 °C[4]0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers, measured on its PP composite)[5]
Drying temperature & time120 °C for 5 h, target below 0.020 % moisture (Victrex AM 450 FIL)[4]No drying step is published for PP; uptake is below the level that affects printing[5]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle; Polymaker still advises a 70 °C dry for 4–6 h despite the low uptake[3]
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 — with equilibrium uptake at 0.04 %, there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure. Polymaker's sensitivity tiers put polyolefins below even PLA[5][19]
Storage requirementNot documentedNo special storage needed[5]
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][4]12 at yield (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[2]
Young's modulusMPa3000-4000 (printed XY, ISO 527, Victrex AM 450 FIL); 3720 (3DXTech); 4000 injection-moulded[1][4]724 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D638; converted from 105,000 psi)[20]
Elongation at break%28 (printed XY, ISO 527) — remarkably ductile for a high-temperature polymer[1]Above 600 at break (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[2]
Flexural strengthMPa130 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]31.0 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4500 psi)[20]
Flexural modulusMPa2700 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]402 flexural modulus (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D790) — an order of magnitude below any rigid filament[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²6.0 (injection-moulded, ISO 179/1eA); unnotched does not break[4]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)[4][21]Izod notched 112 J/m on extruded PP stock, converted from 2.1 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[20]
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[4]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellShore D 84.5 (injection-moulded, ISO 868); Rockwell M100 / R125 on extruded PEEK stock (ASTM D785)[4][22]Rockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded PP stock (ASTM D785)[20]
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[23][4][22]Below average[2]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term fatigue as well as creep[23]Excellent — living hinges viable, the classic polypropylene application[2]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[2]
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[21]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C140 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[1]74 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 165 °F)[20]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C152 (unannealed, ISO 75-2/Af, Victrex AM 450 FIL); 160 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[4][22]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C143 (DSC, 3DXTech); Victrex gives onset 143 and midpoint 150 (ISO 11357-2)[1][4]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C343 melting (ISO 11357-3, Victrex); VICTREX AM 200 LMPAEK melts at 303[4][21]205 ± 15 melting (Formfutura Centaur PP)[2]
Continuous service temperature°C240 UL 746B relative thermal index, strength (RTI electrical 260, impact 180); Ensinger rates extruded PEEK stock at 249 long term[4][22]Bounded by a melting point of 205 ± 15 °C and by the 158 °C heat deflection of the carbon-filled grade; no loaded-bar service figure is published for unfilled PP[2][5]
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[22]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][4]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[5]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedMonths outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polypropylene chalks under UV[3]
Chemical resistanceOutstanding — resistant to almost all solvents and to steam sterilisation[1]Excellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents — the usual reason to choose PP[3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; 0.45 % water at saturation and resistant to steam sterilisation[4][1]Excellent — essentially unaffected[5]
Food contactNot documentedPolypropylene is a common food-packaging polymer, but no filament here carries a food-contact certification[3]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[3]
RecyclabilityNot documentedMechanically recyclable as resin code 5, but printed waste is not accepted in household collection[3]
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[24]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[24]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[24]Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[24]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands poorly — the waxy surface loads abrasive paper[16]
Painting & finishingNot documentedPaint and adhesives do not key to untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is normally needed first[3]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedNothing common bonds untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is needed before adhesives key[3]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[16]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; no soluble support is rated for PP[16]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedShrinkage and warping dominate; the low modulus means parts flex rather than hold tolerance[5]
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.[25][26]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves it at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C — the xylene-solubles route.[27][28]
Softened or crazed byConcentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[29][26]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[27]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[29][26]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[27]

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. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  3. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  4. VICTREX AM 450 FIL — datasheet Victrex · 2025-12 · tds
  5. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · 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. SUNLU product catalogue SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Fiberlogy PP Natural — product page 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Reli3D Low Warp PP Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI 3D PP 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. PP filament listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  15. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Prusament PP Glass Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  18. ThermaX PEEK — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  21. VICTREX AM 200 — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2024-04 · tds
  22. TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
  24. 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
  25. 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
  26. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  28. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  29. What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc