3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEEK vs TPU 95A

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

PEEK guideTPU 95A guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEEK comparisonsMore TPU 95A comparisons
PEEK vs TPU 95A — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEEKHIGHTEMPTPU 95AFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$531.87/kg median; $296.14–$770.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$39.99/kg median; $23.00–$106.05/kg across 15 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyether ether ketone — a semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone[1]Thermoplastic polyurethane, polyester or polyether based, at about 92–95 Shore A[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][4]1.20–1.25 (ISO 1183); Prusament 1.25, Polymaker 1.20–1.24, Bambu Lab 1.22[2][3][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 296–770; the middle of the market is about 532[6][7][8]1 kg spools cluster near 35; the specialist and industrial brands run to 106[9][10][5][11][12][13]
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]23–106 across brands; IEMAI 3D 23, LANDU 24, Siraya Tech 25, PS Imports 25, PrimaCreator 32, Bambu Lab 35–42, Polymaker 40–50, add:north 72, Recreus 90, 3DXTech 96, NinjaTek Cheetah 106[10][14][9][6][11][12][15][16][17][13]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][7][4]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[9][6][10][14][11][12]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[6][7][4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[9][6]
Typical applicationsAerospace brackets, semiconductor handling, sterilisable medical tooling and downhole parts[1]Gaskets, phone cases, tyres, vibration mounts and protective covers[18]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.06 (Prusament) — the loosest tolerance Prusa publishes, because soft filament deforms in the gauge[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C380-400 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); Victrex quotes a 340-450 melt range for AM 450 FIL[1][4]210–240; Polymaker 210–230, Prusament 230 ± 10, Bambu Lab HF 220–240[2][3][5]
Bed temperature°C130–140 (3DXTech)[1]25–65; Prusament 65 ± 10, Bambu Lab 30–35, Polymaker 25–60[3][5][2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[19][20]Open frame is fine[2]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot less than 150 for semi-crystalline printing (Victrex AM 450 FIL); bed above 150[4]Not documented
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on[2][5]
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[21][18]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented2.4 at Polymaker's 30–50 mm/s and 2.4 at Prusa's 30 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Bambu Lab's high-flow grade lifts the cap to 200 mm/s (16 mm³/s)[2][3][5]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[19]None[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[19]Sticks to most surfaces[2]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker specifies 3–6 mm retraction, well above the 1–3 mm used for rigid filaments[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[19][20]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; the speed ceiling is the main constraint[2][3]
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][19]Direct drive strongly preferred. BASF rates its 95A grade as running on both direct-drive and Bowden machines, but every maker caps speed at 15–50 mm/s unless the grade is specifically high-flow[22][2][3]
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[19]Brass fine indefinitely[23]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[23]
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[24]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[25]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedHigh — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; soft filament buckles in the cold zone if it slows[18]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[21]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedLow (0.1–0.3 %) by Prusa's measurement at 0.04 % in 7 days, but Polymaker measures 0.82 % equilibrium and groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials[3][2][25]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.45 at saturation, 23 °C (ISO 62); 0.55 at 100 °C[4]0.82 equilibrium (Polymaker); 0.02 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 22 % RH (Prusa)[2][3]
Drying temperature & time120 °C for 5 h, target below 0.020 % moisture (Victrex AM 450 FIL)[4]70 °C for 8 h (Polymaker); 70 °C for 8 h or an 80–90 °C heatbed for 12 h (Bambu Lab)[2][5]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[25]
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[24]Polymaker groups TPU with nylon, PVA and PETG as highly hygroscopic and says these often need to stay in a dryer while printing; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[25]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[25]
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]41.4 ± 1.3 printed (Prusament, ISO 37); NinjaTek Cheetah 39 ultimate (ASTM D638)[3][26]
Young's modulusMPa3000-4000 (printed XY, ISO 527, Victrex AM 450 FIL); 3720 (3DXTech); 4000 injection-moulded[1][4]Not documented
Elongation at break%28 (printed XY, ISO 527) — remarkably ductile for a high-temperature polymer[1]551 ± 24 printed (Polymaker, ISO 37); the filament itself stretches 7264 % before break (Prusa, ISO 527)[2][3]
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[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][27]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[4]9.5 ± 0.2 (Prusament interlayer adhesion, ISO 527)[3]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[2][3]
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][28]92 ± 0.4 Shore A and 39 ± 0.7 Shore D (Prusament); 95A (Polymaker, ISO 7619-1); 91 Shore A / 40 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 40D, ISO 7619); 95A (NinjaTek Cheetah, ASTM D2240); 94.5 A measured on a printed Bambu Lab 95A part and 96.2 A on a Qidi one (My Tech Fun)[3][2][29][26][30]
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[31][4][28]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; a loaded bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days[30]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term fatigue as well as creep[31]Excellent — living hinges viable[18]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[2][3]
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[27]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion resistance is a headline property; BASF measures 64 mm³ loss by ISO 4649 on its 92A grade[22]
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)[4][28]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][27]144 melting (BASF 95A, ISO 11357-3); Bambu Lab 183, Polymaker's modulus at 100 % elongation 8.9 MPa[22][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[4][28]Bounded by a melting point of 144–183 °C; no loaded-bar service figure is published for TPU[22][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[28]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[2]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[18]
Chemical resistanceOutstanding — resistant to almost all solvents and to steam sterilisation[1]Good resistance to oils and common solvents (BASF)[22]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; 0.45 % water at saturation and resistant to steam sterilisation[4][1]Not documented
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[18]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[18]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[18]
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[32]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[32]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[32]Open a window / occasional ventilation[32]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSanding is impractical — the surface tears rather than abrades[18]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[18]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[18]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove; PolyDissolve S1 is rated for TPU[18]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedStringing and elephant-foot are the accuracy limits; retraction has to be long and slow[2]
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.[33][34]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[35]
Softened or crazed byConcentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[36][34]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[35]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[36][34]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[35]

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. PolyFlex TPU95 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. Prusament TPU 95A Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2025-05 · tds
  4. VICTREX AM 450 FIL — datasheet Victrex · 2025-12 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — TPU 95A HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · 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. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. LANDU TPU 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 95A Black 1 kg — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI 3D TPU 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Cheetah product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. TPU for AMS — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Siraya Tech Flex TPU 95A Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. PrimaCreator EasyPrint FLEX TPU 95A product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. add:north TPU Pro Matte 95A product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  20. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Ultrafuse TPU 95A Technical Data Sheet (Version 2.0) BASF Forward AM · 2022-08 · tds
  23. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  24. ThermaX PEEK — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  25. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. NinjaTek technical specs comparison chart (Cheetah, NinjaFlex, Armadillo, Alloy 910, Nylon 645) NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  27. VICTREX AM 200 — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2024-04 · tds
  28. TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  29. FiberFlex 40D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  30. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  31. PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
  32. 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
  33. 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
  34. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  35. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  36. What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc