3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEKK vs PLA-PHA

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

PEKK guidePLA/PHA blend guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEKK comparisonsMore PLA-PHA comparisons
PEKK vs PLA-PHA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEKKHIGHTEMPPLA/PHA blendPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$525.00/kg median; $332.50–$771.12/kg across 6 dated product listings$76.40/kg median; $76.40–$76.40/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyether 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]PLA blended with polyhydroxyalkanoate, a bacterially fermented bio-polyester[3]
Densityg/cm³1.28 unfilled (ASTM D792, Antero 800NA; 1.31 annealed) and 1.33 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 1183)[2][1]1.2 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 550[4][5][6]Not documented
Price range across brandsUSD/kg333-771 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][7][8]Not documented
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][5][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[4][5][2]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 2200 g spools[3]
Typical applicationsAerospace interior and structural parts; 3DXTech labels its carbon-filled PEKK-A grade AERO and Stratasys certifies Antero 800NA for outgassing and FST[1][2]General-purpose printing where PLA's brittleness is the limiting factor[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented195–220 (colorFabb)[3]
Bed temperature°C140 (3DXTech CarbonX PEKK-A CF15)[1]50–60 (colorFabb)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[10][11]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanNot documented0–100 %; colorFabb states the blend runs on both heated and unheated beds[3][12]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[12][13]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[10][11]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened 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]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — most PEKK filament sold is carbon-filled; unfilled Antero 800NA and ThermaX PEKK-A are non-abrasive[1][2]Non-abrasive[3]
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[14]Very low — unfilled PLA blend; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle for PLA[15]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; colorFabb publishes no figure for the blend[16][17]
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[14]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[18]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa86.7-90.0 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]62–64 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[3]
Young's modulusMPa2640-3870 (printed XZ, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA; upper figure annealed); 9125 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][1]2960–3070 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb)[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 and 11 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa136 at 5 % strain (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 178 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2][1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa3200 (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 8817 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2][1]2500–3300 flexural modulus (ISO 178, colorFabb)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented2.8–3.7 (ISO 179, notched, colorFabb)[3]
Other impact dataIzod 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]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa50.1-59.4 at yield (printed ZX, ASTM D638, Antero 800NA); 56.0 for the ESD grade Antero 840CN03[2][19]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate unfilled — 6.1 % elongation at break in plane; brittle in the carbon-filled grades at 3.15 %[2][1]Moderate — colorFabb positions the blend as tougher and less brittle than its generic PLA grades[3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — 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]Poor — no PLA/PHA creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[20][21][22]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedBelow average — no S-N curve for the blend; colorFabb positions it as tougher and less brittle than its generic PLA, which ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[23][3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[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]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C158 (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]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C156-157 (printed, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi, Antero 800NA); moulded 147[2]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C156 (ASTM D7426, Antero 800NA); 165 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[2][1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C300 melt point (ASTM D7426 peak heat, Antero 800NA); 305 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[2][1]Above 155 melting (ISO 3146-C)[3]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K36.1 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]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Good — 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]Degrades within weeks outdoors[24]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedcolorFabb states the PHA component is 100 % biodegradable[3]
Electrical & ESD propertiesUnfilled 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]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[25]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[25]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25]None needed in a normal room[25]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inConcentrated sulphuric acid, as for PEEK; no common organic solvent touches a polyaryletherketone.[26][27]Chloroform dissolves the PLA phase (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C); THF and DMF need 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[28]
Softened or crazed byConcentrated sulphuric acid and liquid Freon are the entries Ensinger marks not resistant; acetone, MEK and toluene do nothing.[26]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[28][29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens a polyaryletherketone.[26]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[30][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

  1. CarbonX Carbon Fiber PEKK-A CF15 Technical Data Sheet v1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Antero 800NA — FDM Material Data Sheet (PEKK-based) Stratasys · 2025-08 · tds
  3. PLA/PHA technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Kimya PEKK-A Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Kimya PEKK Carbon Grey 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI 3D PEKK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. woodFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  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. glowFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  13. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. THERMAX PEKK-A — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  17. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Antero 840CN03 — FDM Material Data Sheet (PEKK, ESD) Stratasys · 2024-08 · tds
  20. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  24. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. 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
  26. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. 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
  28. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  29. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. 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