3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEI 9085 vs PMMA

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

PEI (ULTEM 9085) guidePMMA (acrylic) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEI 9085 comparisonsMore PMMA comparisons
PEI 9085 vs PMMA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEI (ULTEM 9085)HIGHTEMPPMMA (acrylic)ENGINEERING
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$309.80/kg median; $220.00–$392.00/kg across 6 dated product listings$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyetherimide, ULTEM 9085 grade — the flame-retardant PEI used for aircraft interiors[1]Poly(methyl methacrylate) — acrylic, sold for 3D printing as a transparent glass substitute[2]
Densityg/cm³1.34 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech) against 1.27 specific gravity on moulded plaques (ASTM D792, Stratasys) — the two suppliers disagree[1][3]Not documented
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 298[4][5][6][7]1 kg spools cluster near 50[8]
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[4][5][6][7][9]50 at Push Plastic's 1 kg listing; 3 kg spools run the same per kilogram[8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][5][6][7]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 250 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[4][7][3]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[8]
Typical applicationsAircraft interior parts and rail rolling stock, where the flame, smoke and toxicity rating is the requirement[1]Transparent covers and light guides where PC's yellowing or cost rules it out[2]
Printing Parameters
Bed temperature°C130–140 (3DXTech)[1]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[10][11]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[10]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[10][11]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[10]Not documented
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Not documented
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[12]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
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[12]Not documented
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)[3][1]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2040-2540 (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Stratasys); 2050 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech)[3][1]Not documented
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)[3][1]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa104-116 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D790 Procedure A, Stratasys); 72-98 in ZX; 3DXTech quotes 90 (ISO 178)[3][1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2400-2550 (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Stratasys F900 T16 and T16A) against 2120-2130 in ZX; 3DXTech quotes 2170 (ISO 178)[3][1]Not documented
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)[3]Not documented
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[3]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[1]Not documented
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M110 / R126 on extruded PEI stock (ASTM D785)[13]Not documented
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[3][13]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
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[3]Not documented
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][3]Not documented
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[3]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C177 (moulded plaque, ASTM D7426 inflection point, Stratasys); 186 (DSC, 3DXTech)[3][1][14]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C170 long-term service on extruded PEI stock, converted from 338 °F; 200 short term[13]Not documented
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[3]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][3]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[3]Not documented
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[15]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[15]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane and chloroform — are solvents for polyetherimide. Laboratory reagents.[16][17]Acetone, MEK, ethyl and butyl acetate, THF, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride dissolve it; the last two are laboratory reagents.[18]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, MEK, benzene, toluene and butyl acetate craze or stress-crack it; alcohols, fuels and dilute acids do not.[17][16]Alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, oils and phthalate plasticisers craze it, and the threshold falls as stress rises.[18]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane is the only welding route, and it is a controlled carcinogen rather than a workshop material.[16][17]Dichloromethane acrylic cement (IPS Weld-On 3): 2–5 min soak, 17.2 MPa lap shear at one week. Controlled carcinogen.[19]

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. PMMA Filament 1.75mm 1kg — product page Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. ULTEM 9085 Resin — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2026-04 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Kimya PEI-9085 Natural 2.85 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Fiberlogy PEI 9085 Natural, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI 3D PEI 9085 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  11. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  12. THERMAX PEI 9085 — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  13. TECAPEI natural (PEI) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  14. ThermaX PEI 1010 Technical Data Sheet v4 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  15. 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
  16. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  17. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Chemical resistance of PMMA products Mitsubishi Chemical (Acrypet) · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds