Filament comparison
PEKK vs PLA Stone
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | PEKKHIGHTEMP | Stone-filled PLAPLA |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $525.00/kg median; $332.50–$771.12/kg across 6 dated product listings | $22.99/kg median; $15.99–$49.16/kg across 6 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] | PLA filled with stone or mineral powder — Formfutura StoneFil declares 40–50 wt% stone powder[3][4] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.28 unfilled (ASTM D792, Antero 800NA; 1.31 annealed) and 1.33 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 1183)[2][1] | 1.22 (Bambu Lab PLA Marble) and 1.50–1.70 (Formfutura StoneFil), ISO 1183[4][3] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 550[5][6][7] | 1 kg spools cluster near 21[8][9] |
| 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[5][6][7][10][11] | 16–49 across brands; SUNLU 16, ELEGOO 19, Polymaker 21, Bambu Lab 25, Prusament 38, Filament PM MarbleJet 49 on 0.5 kg spools[12][9][8][13][14][15] |
| Market availability1–5 | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][6][7] | Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][9][12] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[5][6][2] | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools plus refills[9][3] |
| 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] | Architectural models, sculpture and props with a matte mineral surface[4] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | Not documented | 190–230 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Bed temperature°C | 140 (3DXTech CarbonX PEKK-A CF15)[1] | 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Actively heated chamber required[16][17] | Open frame is fine[4] |
| Part cooling fan | Not documented | Fan on[4] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Expert / industrial hardware only[16][17] | Easy — minor profile tuning; 0.2 mm nozzles are not usable[18] |
| Extruder requirement | Not documented | Nozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[18] |
| 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] | Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work — Bambu Lab's compatibility table says no hardened nozzle is needed while the note under the same table groups PLA Marble with particle-filled materials that should always use one[18] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Highly abrasive — most PEKK filament sold is carbon-filled; unfilled Antero 800NA and ThermaX PEKK-A are non-abrasive[1][2] | Moderately abrasive — stone fill[18][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[19] | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[18] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Not documented | Moderate — 0.44 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[4] |
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH% | Not documented | 0.44 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| 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[19] | 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[20] |
| 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] | 33 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| 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] | 2330 ± 240 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| 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] | 6.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | 136 at 5 % strain (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 178 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2][1] | 75 ± 5 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 3200 (printed XZ, ASTM D790, Antero 800NA); 8817 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2][1] | 2920 ± 180 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m² | Not documented | 9.5 ± 2.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| 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 24.0 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[4] |
| 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][21] | 30 ± 4 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| 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[4] |
| 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] | Poor — no stone-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[22][23][24] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Not documented | Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and the mineral filler leaves a brittle compound[25][4] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Rigid[4] |
| 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][21] | 91 by tensile, 73 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[4] |
| 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] | 56 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[4] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 156-157 (printed, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi, Antero 800NA); moulded 147[2] | 53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[4] |
| Glass transition (Tg)°C | 156 (ASTM D7426, Antero 800NA); 165 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[2][1] | 56 (DSC)[4] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | 300 melt point (ASTM D7426 peak heat, Antero 800NA); 305 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (DSC)[2][1] | 156 peak melt (DSC); Formfutura gives a 120–170 melting range for StoneFil[4][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][21] | Not documented |
| 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] | Degrades within weeks outdoors[26] |
| 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][21] | Not documented |
| 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[27] | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[27] |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[27] | None needed in a normal room[27] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1] | Formfutura's SDS sets an occupational limit of 1 mg/m³ for the stone powder and lists it as both a fibre and a particulate — do not dry-sand without extraction[3] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Not documented | Sands to a stone-like matte surface[3] |
| Support material pairing | Not documented | Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4] |
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | Not documented | Matte mineral surface hides layer lines; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges as for plain PLA[4] |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Concentrated sulphuric acid, as for PEEK; no common organic solvent touches a polyaryletherketone.[28][29] | Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[30] |
| Softened or crazed by | Concentrated sulphuric acid and liquid Freon are the entries Ensinger marks not resistant; acetone, MEK and toluene do nothing.[28] | Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[30][31] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — no solvent softens a polyaryletherketone.[28] | Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[32][31] |
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
- StoneFil safety data sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · msds
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Marble Bambu Lab · 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
- PLA Marble — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 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
- ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
- Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
- SUNLU High Speed PLA Marble 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
- Filament PM PLA MarbleJet technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
- Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
- Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
- PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- THERMAX PEKK-A — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 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
- BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
- Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — 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
- PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- 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
- Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
- Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
- 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