3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PEKK vs TPU soft

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

PEKK guideSoft TPU (below 85A) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PEKK comparisonsMore TPU soft comparisons
PEKK vs TPU soft — documented properties and sources
PropertyPEKKHIGHTEMPSoft TPU (below 85A)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$525.00/kg median; $332.50–$771.12/kg across 6 dated product listings$114.04/kg median; $109.80–$122.27/kg across 4 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]Very soft thermoplastic elastomers below 85 Shore A. Fiberlogy's FiberFlex 30D measures 81 Shore A, the softest grade with a published datasheet found here[3]
Densityg/cm³1.28 unfilled (ASTM D792, Antero 800NA; 1.31 annealed) and 1.33 for CarbonX PEKK-A CF15 (ISO 1183)[2][1]1.07 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 550[4][5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 115[7][8][9]
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][10][11]110–122 at 1 kg-equivalent; Recreus 70A 110 and 60A 116 at 500 g, NinjaTek Edge 83A 112, NinjaTek Chinchilla 75A 122; the Recreus 3 kg spools fall to 70–73[7][9][8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][5][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][12][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools, plus Stratasys canisters[4][5][2]1.75, 2.85 and 3 mm; 0.5, 0.85, 1, 2 and 3 kg spools[3][7][13][8]
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]Highly compliant seals, soft grips and prosthetic liners[3]
Printing Parameters
Bed temperature°C140 (3DXTech CarbonX PEKK-A CF15)[1]50–70 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[14][15]Open frame is fine[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[16][17]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[14][15]Expert / industrial hardware only — below 85 Shore A the filament buckles in almost any feed path that is not a short, constrained direct drive[13][17]
Extruder requirementNot documentedDirect drive only, with a constrained filament path; Bowden is not viable at this hardness[13][12]
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[18]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — most PEKK filament sold is carbon-filled; unfilled Antero 800NA and ThermaX PEKK-A are non-abrasive[1][2]Non-abrasive[18]
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[19]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; below 85 Shore A the filament buckles and compresses, and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates most likely end in a jam[16][17][20]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedVery high — softens in the cold zone readily[17]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[16]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate[20]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[20]
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[19]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[20]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[20]
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]Not documented
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]Not documented
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]870 at break (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 527) — the highest elongation in the dataset[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]Not documented
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][21]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate unfilled — 6.1 % elongation at break in plane; brittle in the carbon-filled grades at 3.15 %[2][1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented81 Shore A and 30 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 7619)[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 creep test at this hardness; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[22]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedExcellent — living hinges viable[17]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[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][21]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedTear strength 95 kN/m (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 34-1)[3]
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]170 melting (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, DSC)[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][21]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]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[17]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[17]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[17]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[17]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[17]
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][21]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[23]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[23]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[23]Open a window / occasional ventilation[23]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[17]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[17]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[17]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[17]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inConcentrated sulphuric acid, as for PEEK; no common organic solvent touches a polyaryletherketone.[24][25]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[26]
Softened or crazed byConcentrated sulphuric acid and liquid Freon are the entries Ensinger marks not resistant; acetone, MEK and toluene do nothing.[24]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[26]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent softens a polyaryletherketone.[24]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[26]

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. FiberFlex 30D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 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. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Chinchilla product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. NinjaFlex Edge product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Kimya PEKK Carbon Grey 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI 3D PEKK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Filaflex 82A product page (Shore hardness and elongation) Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. NinjaFlex 85A Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  14. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  15. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  19. THERMAX PEKK-A — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Antero 840CN03 — FDM Material Data Sheet (PEKK, ESD) Stratasys · 2024-08 · tds
  22. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  23. 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
  24. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. 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
  26. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds