3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEI 9085 vs PLA-CF

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

PEI (ULTEM 9085) guideCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEI 9085 comparisonsMore PLA-CF comparisons
PEI 9085 vs PLA-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEI (ULTEM 9085)HIGHTEMPCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$309.80/kg median; $220.00–$392.00/kg across 6 dated product listings$29.99/kg median; $19.00–$79.98/kg across 9 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyetherimide, ULTEM 9085 grade — the flame-retardant PEI used for aircraft interiors[1]PLA filled with chopped carbon fibre — 5–10 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS), 8 wt% (Polymaker)[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.34 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech) against 1.27 specific gravity on moulded plaques (ASTM D792, Stratasys) — the two suppliers disagree[1][4]1.22 (Bambu Lab) to 1.29 (Polymaker, 3DXTech), ISO 1183[5][3][6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 298[7][8][9][10]1 kg spools span 19–80; the middle of the market is about 31[11][12][6][13][14]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg220-392 across brands and formats; 3DXTech ThermaX PEI 9085 220 at 2 kg, 3D4Makers 270 at 2 kg, Fiberlogy 298 at 500 g, Kimya 321 at 500 g, IEMAI 3D 385 at 1 kg, 3DXTech CarbonX PEI 9085+CF 392[7][8][9][10][15]19–80 across brands; IEMAI 19, LANDU 24, SUNLU 27, Polymaker 30, Bambu Lab 32, 3DXTech 47, Proto-pasta 80[12][11][6][16][13][17][14]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][8][9][10]Stocked by most mainstream brands[11][12][6][16]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 250 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[7][10][4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 3 kg spools[16][6][18]
Typical applicationsAircraft interior parts and rail rolling stock, where the flame, smoke and toxicity rating is the requirement[1]Stiff jigs, drone and RC frames, tool holders — matte black finish, no gain in tensile strength[5][3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[11]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented210–240 (Bambu Lab); 190–230 (Polymaker)[5][3]
Bed temperature°C130–140 (3DXTech)[1]35–45 (Bambu Lab); 25–60 (Polymaker)[5][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[19][20]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on[5][3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented16 at Bambu Lab's 200 mm/s cap and 24 at Polymaker's 300 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Bambu Lab's own filament guide says 250 mm/s where its TDS says 200[5][21][3][22]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[19]None[5]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[19][20]Easy — minor profile tuning; needs a hardened nozzle and 0.4 mm or larger[21][3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[21]
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]Hardened steel required[21][3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[21][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[21]
Hotend requirementNot documentedHardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists PLA-CF among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[23][21]
Other hardware wearNot documentedBambu Lab reports AMS wear; Polymaker advises against running PLA-CF through an AMS at all[21][3]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate — 0.42 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[5][3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.42 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 equilibrium (Polymaker)[5][3]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 6–8 h[5][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[24]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[25]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa63-77 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Stratasys F900/F3300/Fortus 450mc, three tips and two colours); 54 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech)[4][1]31.2 (Polymaker) to 38 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; 48 at break for 3DXTech[5][3][6]
Young's modulusMPa2040-2540 (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Stratasys); 2050 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech)[4][1]2790 (Bambu Lab) to 3281 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 4950 for 3DXTech[5][3][6]
Elongation at break%5.4-9.1 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Stratasys); 1.9-4.3 in ZX; 3DXTech quotes 3 (ISO 527)[4][1]8.4 (Bambu Lab) and 13.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 2 for 3DXTech[5][3][6]
Flexural strengthMPa104-116 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D790 Procedure A, Stratasys); 72-98 in ZX; 3DXTech quotes 90 (ISO 178)[4][1]51.7 (Polymaker) to 89 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178[5][3]
Flexural modulusMPa2400-2550 (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Stratasys F900 T16 and T16A) against 2120-2130 in ZX; 3DXTech quotes 2170 (ISO 178)[4][1]3381 (Polymaker) to 3950 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; 6320 for 3DXTech[5][3][6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented5.5 (Polymaker) and 7.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[5][3]
Other impact dataIzod notched 88.5-140 J/m XZ against 37-80 J/m ZX; unnotched 647-2260 J/m XZ against 169-633 J/m ZX (printed, ASTM D256/D4812, Stratasys, across three printers and three tips)[4]Charpy unnotched 23.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa39-63 at break (printed ZX, ASTM D638, Stratasys); the low end is the F900 T16 baseline, the high end the F3300 N500 hot end[4]15.1 (Polymaker) to 26 (Bambu Lab) printed Z, ISO 527[5][3]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation in Z falls to 0.9 % (Polymaker)[3][5]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M110 / R126 on extruded PEI stock (ASTM D785)[26]71.5 Shore D measured on printed bars for Sunlu CF PLA (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's unfilled PLA[27]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — holds load for years. Printed ZX coupons keep 87 % of room-temperature tensile strength at 104 °C and 70 % at 132 °C (ASTM D638); extruded PEI stock is rated 170 °C long-term service[4][26]Poor — 12 mm bars sagged to 15.1, 19.8 and 21.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg across three brands, against 16.2–21.8 mm for their unfilled PLA[28][29][27]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedPoor — no CF-grade S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation in Z falls to 0.9 %[30][3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%56-86 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638, across F900/F3300/Fortus 450mc and T16/T20/T40A tips); 58 on the F900 T16 baseline[4]48 (Polymaker) to 68 (Bambu Lab), printed[5][3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C158 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech) to 178 (printed XY 178.2 and ZX 178.4, ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi, Stratasys); moulded 176.9[1][4]54 (Polymaker) to 55 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[5][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C170-173 (printed XY 170.2 and ZX 172.6, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi); moulded 172.9[4]50 (Polymaker) to 54 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[5][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C177 (moulded plaque, ASTM D7426 inflection point, Stratasys); 186 (DSC, 3DXTech)[4][1][31]62–63 (DSC)[5][3]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented162–165 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 64 °C (Polymaker)[5][3]
Continuous service temperature°C170 long-term service on extruded PEI stock, converted from 338 °F; 200 short term[26]50–61 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across three brands (Sunlu 50, Bambu Lab and Polymaker 61)[28][29][27]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K44.9 (printed XY, -50 to 80 °C, ASTM E831), falling to 31.4 over 80-160 °C; ZX gives 44.5 over -50 to 60 °C. Black pigment raises it to 51.9[4]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm on the base resin. Printed parts are tested to 14 CFR 25.853, BSS 7238 and 7239 and AITM 2.0007B and 3.0005 covering 60 s and 12 s vertical burn, 15 s horizontal burn, smoke density, toxic gas emission and OSU heat release[1][4]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Good — years with some colour shift. 1000 h of QUV cycling to ASTM G154 left printed ZX coupons at 55.5 MPa yield against 56.0 unexposed, with elongation and modulus unchanged[4]Degrades within weeks outdoors[32]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[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[33]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[33]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[33]None needed in a normal room[33]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]
Post-Processing
Support material pairingNot documentedSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab); PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[5][3]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedMatte finish hides layer lines; stiffness is the gain — tensile strength stays at or below Bambu Lab PLA Basic's 35 MPa and Polymaker PolyLite PLA's 52.3 MPa[5][3][34][35]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane and chloroform — are solvents for polyetherimide. Laboratory reagents.[36][37]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[38]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, MEK, benzene, toluene and butyl acetate craze or stress-crack it; alcohols, fuels and dilute acids do not.[37][36]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[38][39]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane is the only welding route, and it is a controlled carcinogen rather than a workshop material.[36][37]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[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 PEI 9085 Technical Data Sheet v4 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Safety Data Sheet SDS20251127A50 — Bambu PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2025-11 · msds
  3. PolyLite PLA-CF Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. ULTEM 9085 Resin — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2026-04 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V4.0 — PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. CarbonX PLA+CF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Kimya PEI-9085 Natural 2.85 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Fiberlogy PEI 9085 Natural, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PolyLite PLA-CF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. IEMAI CF-PLA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. SUNLU PLA-CF Carbon Fiber 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. IEMAI 3D PEI 9085 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. LANDU Carbon Fiber PLA Filament 1.75 mm Black 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  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. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. THERMAX PEI 9085 — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. TECAPEI natural (PEI) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — 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. ThermaX PEI 1010 Technical Data Sheet v4 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  32. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  33. 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
  34. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  35. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  37. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  38. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  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