3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEEK vs TPU soft

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

PEEK guideSoft TPU (below 85A) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEEK comparisonsMore TPU soft comparisons
PEEK vs TPU soft — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEEKHIGHTEMPSoft TPU (below 85A)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$531.87/kg median; $296.14–$770.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$114.04/kg median; $109.80–$122.27/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyether ether ketone — a semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone[1]Very soft thermoplastic elastomers below 85 Shore A. Fiberlogy's FiberFlex 30D measures 81 Shore A, the softest grade with a published datasheet found here[2]
Densityg/cm³1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][3]1.07 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 1183)[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 115[7][8][9]
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]110–122 at 1 kg-equivalent; Recreus 70A 110 and 60A 116 at 500 g, NinjaTek Edge 83A 112, NinjaTek Chinchilla 75A 122; the Recreus 3 kg spools fall to 70–73[7][9][8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][5][3]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2][10][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[4][5][3]1.75, 2.85 and 3 mm; 0.5, 0.85, 1, 2 and 3 kg spools[2][7][11][8]
Typical applicationsAerospace brackets, semiconductor handling, sterilisable medical tooling and downhole parts[1]Highly compliant seals, soft grips and prosthetic liners[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C380-400 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); Victrex quotes a 340-450 melt range for AM 450 FIL[1][3]Not documented
Bed temperature°C130–140 (3DXTech)[1]50–70 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[12][13]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[14][15]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[12]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[12]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[12][13]Expert / industrial hardware only — below 85 Shore A the filament buckles in almost any feed path that is not a short, constrained direct drive[11][15]
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][12]Direct drive only, with a constrained filament path; Bowden is not viable at this hardness[11][10]
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[12]Brass fine indefinitely[16]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[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[17]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; below 85 Shore A the filament buckles and compresses, and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates most likely end in a jam[14][15][18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedVery high — softens in the cold zone readily[15]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[14]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate[18]
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]Not documented
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[18]
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[17]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[18]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[18]
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]870 at break (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 527) — the highest elongation in the dataset[2]
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][19]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][20]81 Shore A and 30 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 7619)[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[21][3][20]Poor — no creep test at this hardness; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[22]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term fatigue as well as creep[21]Excellent — living hinges viable[15]
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[19]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedTear strength 95 kN/m (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 34-1)[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][20]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][19]170 melting (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, DSC)[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][20]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[20]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[15]
Chemical resistanceOutstanding — resistant to almost all solvents and to steam sterilisation[1]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[15]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; 0.45 % water at saturation and resistant to steam sterilisation[3][1]Not documented
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[15]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[15]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[15]
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[23]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[23]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[23]Open a window / occasional ventilation[23]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[15]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[15]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[15]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[15]
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.[24][25]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[26]
Softened or crazed byConcentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[27][25]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[26]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[27][25]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[26]

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. FiberFlex 30D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · 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. Chinchilla product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. NinjaFlex Edge product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Filaflex 82A product page (Shore hardness and elongation) Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. NinjaFlex 85A Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  12. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  13. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  17. ThermaX PEEK — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. VICTREX AM 200 — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2024-04 · tds
  20. TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  21. PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
  22. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  27. What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc