Filament comparison
PEKK vs PETG-GF
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | PEKKHIGHTEMP | Glass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF)PETG |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $525.00/kg median; $332.50–$771.12/kg across 6 dated product listings | $27.38/kg median; $18.99–$29.99/kg across 3 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | Polyether ketone ketone, amorphous grade — a polyaryletherketone that stays amorphous, so it does not need PEEK's crystallisation control. Stratasys sells it as Antero 800NA and Antero 840CN03; category numbers below are unfilled unless a carbon grade is named[1][2] | Glass-fibre reinforced polyester. Polymaker's Fiberon PET-GF15 uses a PET rather than a PETG matrix and carries 15 wt% glass fibre[3] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.28 unfilled (ASTM D792, Antero 800NA; 1.31 annealed) and 1.33 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 1183)[2][1] | 1.43 (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 1183)[3] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 550[4][5][6] | 1 kg spools cluster near 25[7][8] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 333-771 across grades and formats; 3DXTech CarbonX PEKK-A+CF15 333 at 2 kg, 3D4Makers unfilled PEKK-A 485 at 2 kg, IEMAI 3D 500 at 1 kg, Kimya PEKK Carbon 771 at 500 g[4][5][6][9][10] | 19–30 across brands; ELEGOO 19, Polymaker Fiberon 30[7][8] |
| Market availability1–5 | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][5][6] | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][8] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[4][5][2] | 1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[8] |
| Typical applications | Aerospace interior and structural parts; 3DXTech labels its carbon-filled PEKK-A grade AERO and Stratasys certifies Antero 800NA for outgassing and FST[1][2] | Stiff, dimensionally stable fixtures; the Fiberon grade is designed to be annealed for heat resistance[3] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Bed temperature°C | 140 (3DXTech CarbonX PEKK-A CF15)[1] | Not documented |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Actively heated chamber required[11][12] | Not documented |
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | Not documented | Textured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[13][14] |
| Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5 | Not documented | Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[13][14] |
| Stringing / oozing tendency1–5 | Not documented | Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[14] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Expert / industrial hardware only[11][12] | Not documented |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Hardened steel required — the category spans unfilled PEKK, where brass is acceptable, and the carbon-filled aerospace grades that make up most of the market[1][2] | Hardened steel required[3] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Highly abrasive — most PEKK filament sold is carbon-filled; unfilled Antero 800NA and ThermaX PEKK-A are non-abrasive[1][2] | Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[3] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[15] | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[16] |
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5 | Not documented | Slightly sensitive[17] |
| Hotend requirement | Not documented | No special hot-end required[17] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Not documented | Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the PETG matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; no glass-filled grade publishes its own figure[13] |
| Symptoms when wet | Not documented | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[18] |
| Effect of moisture on strength | No 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[15] | Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[18] |
| Storage requirement | Not documented | Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[18][14] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 86.7-90.0 at yield and 73.0 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA on the F900 and Fortus 450mc); 88.8 at break annealed; 126 at break for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][1] | 59.9 ± 0.8 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Young's modulusMPa | 2640-3870 (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA; upper figure annealed); 9125 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][1] | 4144 ± 133 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Elongation at break% | 6.1 at break (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA); 2.3 in ZX; 3.15 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 527)[2][1] | 4.0 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | 136 at 5 % strain (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 178 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2][1] | 104.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 3200 (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 8817 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2][1] | 3705 ± 85 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m² | Not documented | 8.7 ± 0.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Other impact data | Izod notched 41.1 J/m XZ and 33.3 J/m ZX; unnotched 1730 J/m XZ against 203 J/m ZX (printed, ASTM D256/D4812, Antero 800NA)[2] | Charpy unnotched 27.2 ± 2.0 printed XY (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 179)[3] |
| Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa | 50.1-59.4 at yield (printed ZX, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA); 56.0 for the ESD grade Antero 840CN03[2][19] | 48.2 ± 0.3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Brittleness1–5 | Moderate unfilled — 6.1 % elongation at break in plane; brittle in the carbon-filled grades at 3.15 %[2][1] | Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation 4.0 % in XY and 2.6 % in Z[3] |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Excellent — holds load for years. Antero 800NA still holds 82 % of its room-temperature ZX tensile strength at 104 °C and 63 % at 132 °C (printed, ASTM D638)[2] | Below average — no GF-grade creep test; the CF grades sagged to 14.8–16.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg against 17.1–20.4 mm unfilled[20][21][22] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Not documented | Below average — no GF-grade S-N curve; elongation at break falls to 4.0 % in XY against 5.2–9.3 % unfilled[3][23] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Rigid[3] |
| Z strength as % of XY% | 56-82 (Antero 800NA and 840CN03 printed on the F900 and Fortus 450mc, ZX against XZ tensile yield and break, ASTM D638)[2][19] | 80 (Fiberon PET-GF15, printed Z against XY tensile)[3] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | 158 (printed XY and ZX, ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi, Antero 800NA); 285 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa)[2][1] | 81.6 as printed, 133.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 156-157 (printed, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi, Antero 800NA); moulded 147[2] | 71.8 as printed, 87.3 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3] |
| Glass transition (Tg)°C | 156 (ASTM D7426, Antero 800NA); 165 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[2][1] | 59.5 (DSC)[3] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | 300 melt point (ASTM D7426 peak heat, Antero 800NA); 305 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[2][1] | 231.6 melting (DSC); Vicat 232.6 (ISO 306)[3] |
| Annealing response | Not documented | Annealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 81.6 to 133.7 °C[3] |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | 36.1 in XY and 50.2 in ZX (printed, 40-140 °C, ASTM E831, Antero 800NA); 47.4 and 51.2 for the ESD grade Antero 840CN03[2][19] | 20 along the print bead and 63–74 in the build direction at 30 °C (30 wt% GF, large-format printed, TMA)[24] |
| Flammability / UL 94 | Not documented | UL 94 HB at 1.5 mm (Fiberon PET-GF15)[3] |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Good — years with some colour shift. 1000 h of QUV cycling to ASTM G154 left Antero 800NA's yield strength unchanged at 57 MPa and raised stress at break 3.6 %[2] | Not documented |
| Chemical resistance | Not documented | Withstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[14] |
| Food contact | Not documented | Not certified for food contact as filament[14] |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not documented | Not biodegradable[14] |
| Recyclability | Not documented | Not accepted in household plastic collection[14] |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Unfilled PEKK is an insulator at above 1.4e14 ohm-cm (ASTM D257); CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 sits above 10^7 ohm/sq, and the Antero 840CN03 ESD grade is specified at 10^4-10^9 ohm-cm[2][1][19] | Surface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Fiberon PET-GF15, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[3] |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | Moderate — 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[25] | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[25] |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25] | Open a window / occasional ventilation[25] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1] | Glass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[3] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Not documented | Sands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[17] |
| Gluing & solvent welding | Not documented | Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[17] |
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | Not documented | No practical vapour smoothing[17] |
| Support material pairing | Not documented | Prints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[17] |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Concentrated sulphuric acid, as for PEEK; no common organic solvent touches a polyaryletherketone.[26][27] | No common workshop solvent; dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the matrix surface, 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it in a week.[28][29] |
| Softened or crazed by | Concentrated sulphuric acid and liquid Freon are the entries Ensinger marks not resistant; acetone, MEK and toluene do nothing.[26] | Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[28] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — no solvent softens a polyaryletherketone.[26] | Dichloromethane reaches only the resin, so the fibre is left standing proud of the surface. Controlled carcinogen.[29] |
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
- CarbonX Carbon Fiber PEKK-A CF15 Technical Data Sheet v1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- Antero 800NA — FDM Material Data Sheet (PEKK-based) Stratasys · 2025-08 · tds
- Fiberon PET-GF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.0 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
- Kimya PEKK-A Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
- ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
- Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
- Kimya PEKK Carbon Grey 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
- IEMAI 3D PEKK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
- Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
- Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
- Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
- PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- THERMAX PEKK-A — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
- Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Antero 840CN03 — FDM Material Data Sheet (PEKK, ESD) Stratasys · 2024-08 · tds
- Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
- Effects of Fiber Orientation on the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Fiber-Filled Polymer Systems in Large Format Polymer Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Materials 15(8):2764 · 2022-04 · paper
- 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
- Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- 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
- Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
- Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc