3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEEK vs TPE SEBS

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

PEEK guideTPE (SEBS) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEEK comparisonsMore TPE SEBS comparisons
PEEK vs TPE SEBS — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEEKHIGHTEMPTPE (SEBS)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$531.87/kg median; $296.14–$770.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$98.25/kg median; $76.50–$120.00/kg across 2 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyether ether ketone — a semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone[1]Styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomer — a styrenic rubber, not a polyurethane[2]
Densityg/cm³1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][3]1.044 printed part density (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 1183-1) — the lightest elastomer here[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 296–770; the middle of the market is about 532[4][5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 77[7]
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[4][5][6]77 for the Recreus 600 g spool; Proto-pasta only lists a 50 g coil, which prices at 120[7][8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][5][3]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2][8][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[4][5][3]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05 and 0.6 kg spools[2][7]
Typical applicationsAerospace brackets, semiconductor handling, sterilisable medical tooling and downhole parts[1]Soft-touch overmoulds and skin-contact parts where a non-polyurethane elastomer is wanted[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C380-400 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); Victrex quotes a 340-450 melt range for AM 450 FIL[1][3]260–280 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A) — far hotter than any TPU here[2]
Bed temperature°C130–140 (3DXTech)[1]70–90 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[9][10]Open frame is fine[2]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot less than 150 for semi-crystalline printing (Victrex AM 450 FIL); bed above 150[3]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[11][12]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented0.8–2.4 at the 10–30 mm/s BASF specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer — the slowest material in this group[2]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[9]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[9]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[9][10]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[2]
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][9]Nozzle 0.4 mm or larger; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s[2]
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[9]Brass fine indefinitely[13]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[13]
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[14]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates on flexibles most likely end in a jam[11][2]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[11]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedNegligible (<0.1 % EMC) — BASF states drying is not necessary, unique among the elastomers here[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.45 at saturation, 23 °C (ISO 62); 0.55 at 100 °C[3]Not documented
Drying temperature & time120 °C for 5 h, target below 0.020 % moisture (Victrex AM 450 FIL)[3]None — BASF states Ultrafuse TPS 90A arrives in a printable condition and drying is not necessary[2]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15]
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[14]Not applicable — the SEBS chemistry has no amide or ester linkages to take up water, and BASF specifies no drying at all[2]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[15]
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][3]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa3000-4000 (printed XY, ISO 527, Victrex AM 450 FIL); 3720 (3DXTech); 4000 injection-moulded[1][3]Not documented
Elongation at break%28 (printed XY, ISO 527) — remarkably ductile for a high-temperature polymer[1]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa130 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2700 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²6.0 (injection-moulded, ISO 179/1eA); unnotched does not break[3]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)[3][16]Not documented
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[3]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)[3][17]89 Shore A and 29 Shore D (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 7619-1)[2]
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[18][3][17]Poor — no SEBS creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[19]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term fatigue as well as creep[18]Excellent — living hinges viable[12]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[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[16]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 111 mm³ (ISO 4649) — the poorest abrasion resistance in this group, well behind TPU[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C140 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[1]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C152 (unannealed, ISO 75-2/Af, Victrex AM 450 FIL); 160 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[3][17]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C143 (DSC, 3DXTech); Victrex gives onset 143 and midpoint 150 (ISO 11357-2)[1][3]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C343 melting (ISO 11357-3, Victrex); VICTREX AM 200 LMPAEK melts at 303[3][16]242–249 melting (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 11357-3)[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[3][17]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[17]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][3]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[12]
Chemical resistanceOutstanding — resistant to almost all solvents and to steam sterilisation[1]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[12]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; 0.45 % water at saturation and resistant to steam sterilisation[3][1]Excellent — essentially unaffected[2]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[12]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[12]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[12]
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]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[20]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[20]Open a window / occasional ventilation[20]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[12]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[12]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[12]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[12]
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.[21][22]Toluene dissolves SEBS at room temperature — Kraton quotes solution viscosity at 25 % mass in toluene, 25 °C.[23]
Softened or crazed byConcentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[24][22]Soaking in hydrocarbon solvents and oils deteriorates it; short exposures are tolerated. Resists water, acids and bases.[23]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[24][22]Toluene will weld it, though the joint stays soft; no workshop-safe agent, and vapour smoothing is not practical.[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. ThermaX PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Ultrafuse TPS 90A Technical Data Sheet (Version 1.1, SEBS) BASF Forward AM · 2020-12 · tds
  3. VICTREX AM 450 FIL — datasheet Victrex · 2025-12 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. IEMAI 3D PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  10. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  12. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  14. ThermaX PEEK — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. VICTREX AM 200 — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2024-04 · tds
  17. TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  18. PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
  19. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  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. KRATON polymers Grade Range — chemical resistance and toluene solution data Kraton Corporation · 2025-07 · tds
  24. What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc