3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG-CF vs PPA

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

Carbon-fibre PETG (PETG-CF) guidePPA (polyphthalamide) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG-CF comparisonsMore PPA comparisons
PETG-CF vs PPA — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PETG (PETG-CF)PETGPPA (polyphthalamide)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $16.00–$74.22/kg across 11 dated product listings$45.49/kg median; $45.49–$45.49/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPETG reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1][2]Polyphthalamide — a semi-aromatic polyamide in which aromatic diacid units replace part of the aliphatic backbone; Raise3D and Bambu Lab both label it high-temperature nylon[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.25 (Bambu Lab) to 1.34 (3DXTech), ISO 1183; Prusament 1.27[1][5][2]1.21 (ISO 1183, Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA)[6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 16–74; the middle of the market is about 29[1][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]One 1 kg listing on the market, at 45[14]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg16–74 across brands; ELEGOO 16 in a 5 kg pack, Reli3D 17, SUNLU 20, IEMAI 22, Siraya Tech 25, Bambu Lab 32, Sakata 3D 53, 3DXTech 67, Prusament 70, Filament PM 74 on 0.5 kg spools[15][1][16][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]45 for the only unfilled PPA filament found — Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA at 1 kg; every other PPA in retail is carbon- or glass-filled[14]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[1][16][7][15]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide — Siraya Tech is the only brand found selling unfilled PPA filament[14]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[16][1]1.75 mm, 1 kg[14]
Typical applicationsStiff functional parts and fixtures where PETG's toughness is traded for rigidity and a matte finish[1][2]Gears, bearings and tooling that must hold load above the reach of PA6 or PA12, and parts exposed to fuels and industrial chemicals[6]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament)[2]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C240–270 (Bambu Lab); 265 ± 10 (Prusament)[1][2]280–300 (Siraya Tech)[6]
Bed temperature°C65–75 (Bambu Lab); 90 ± 10 (Prusament)[1][2]70–80 (Siraya Tech)[6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame fine; draught shield helps — Bambu Lab specifies a 35–50 °C chamber[1]Enclosure recommended — Siraya Tech advises an enclosure to hold temperature and limit warping on larger prints[6]
Recommended chamber temperature°C35–50 (Bambu Lab)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fan0–60 % (Bambu Lab); 50 % (Prusament)[1][2]20–60 % (Siraya Tech)[6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI or engineering plate with glue (Bambu Lab)[1]PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a PVP glue coating[6]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s11.5 on My Tech Fun's Bambu Lab PETG-CF profile[17]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive[1]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — the fibre reduces stringing against unfilled PETG[1][18]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[1]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; needs a 300 °C-class hot end and a dry spool[6]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely — Siraya Tech states a hardened steel nozzle is not needed for the unfilled grade[6]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[6]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech specifies a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers or higher, and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[19][20]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Siraya Tech tells users to dry only when moisture symptoms appear, rather than before every print[6]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[18]Not documented
Hotend requirementHardened steel nozzle; no high-temperature hot-end needed[1][18]High-quality metal nozzle, 0.4–1.0 mm; hardened steel not required (Siraya Tech)[6]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low — 0.30 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1]High (0.8–2 %) — Siraya Tech publishes 2.59 % by ISO 62 immersion for the unfilled grade; on the equilibrium basis Bambu Lab uses, its 15 % carbon-filled PPA reaches 1.30 % against 2.35 % for the same maker's PA6-CF[6][4][21]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.30 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); Prusa measures 0.10 after 7 days at 22 % RH[1][2]2.59 by ISO 62 water immersion (Siraya Tech, unfilled) — an immersion figure, not the 25 °C / 55 % RH equilibrium basis the filled grades are quoted on, so the two are not directly comparable[6]
Drying temperature & time65 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[1]80–100 °C for 4–6 h (Siraya Tech)[6]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]Oozing, bubbles and a rough surface finish (Siraya Tech)[6]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures published; Bambu Lab states PETG-CF must be properly dried before printing and stored dry after use[1][22]Siraya Tech publishes dry against saturated for the same grade: tensile 70 → 60 MPa, flexural 114 → 87 MPa, HDT at 1.8 MPa 73.5 → 48.5 °C, while Charpy rises 10 → 14.5 kJ/m²[6][14]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Bambu Lab says store dry after use[1][22]Dry box below 15 % RH (Siraya Tech)[6]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa35 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 47 ± 2 at yield (Prusament) printed XY, ISO 527; 56 at break for 3DXTech[1][2][5]72 at break (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech); the product page quotes 70 dry and 60 saturated[6][14]
Young's modulusMPa2460 ± 230 (Bambu Lab) and 1700 (Prusament) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]3600 (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech)[6]
Elongation at break%4.3 at yield (Prusament, printed XY, ISO 527); 3 at break for 3DXTech[2][5]10.5 at break (printed, ASTM D638, Siraya Tech)[6]
Flexural strengthMPa68 ± 3 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament)[2]115 (printed, ISO 178, Siraya Tech); 114 dry against 87 saturated on the product page[6][14]
Flexural modulusMPa2300 printed horizontal, 3100 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament)[2]3350 (printed, ISO 178, Siraya Tech)[6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented10.1 Charpy (printed, ISO 179, Siraya Tech); the data sheet does not state whether the specimen was notched[6]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 29 ± 6 printed horizontal and 43 ± 8 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1); Izod 4.91 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun bars[2][17]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa29 ± 4 printed Z (Bambu Lab, ISO 527); 18 ± 3 by Prusa's interlayer adhesion test; 10.7 on My Tech Fun bars[1][2][17]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[5]Moderate — 10.5 % elongation at break puts it between PA6 and the fibre-filled grades[6]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell77 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[2]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 16.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, less than plain PETG's 19.4[17]Good — Raise3D cites high creep resistance as a reason to choose the PPA matrix over other nylons[3]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — no CF-grade S-N curve; unfilled printed PETG ran 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[23]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid — 3.6 GPa tensile modulus[6]
Z strength as % of XY%83 (Bambu Lab, printed Z against XY tensile)[1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedSiraya Tech describes the unfilled grade as low-friction and self-lubricating, aimed at gears and bearings[6][14]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C74 (Bambu Lab) and 96 (Prusament), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]81 dry and 61 saturated (printed, ISO 75 Method B at 0.45 MPa, Siraya Tech)[6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C68 (Bambu Lab) and 80 (Prusament), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]73.5 dry and 48.5 saturated (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa, Siraya Tech) — unfilled PPA deflects near its Tg; the 190–227 °C figures quoted for PPA are carbon-filled grades[6][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C68 (Bambu Lab) and 80 (3DXTech), DSC[1][5]80 (ASTM D3418, Siraya Tech)[6]
Melting point / Vicat°C225 melting (Bambu Lab, DSC) — the carbon fibre lets the PET fraction crystallise[1]231 melting point (ASTM D3418) and 230 Vicat (ISO 306), Siraya Tech[6]
Continuous service temperature°C77 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature, against 61 for Bambu Lab PETG Basic[17]Not documented
Annealing responseNot documentedSiraya Tech's product page offers annealing for strength while its own data sheet says annealing is not recommended because the print can warp; on its 15 % carbon-filled PPA, annealing lifts HDT at 1.8 MPa from 82.5 to 119 °C[6][14][24]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Moderate — a season or two; the carbon fibre does not add UV stabilisation[25]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure, as for unfilled PETG[25]Withstands fuels, oils and industrial chemicals; Bambu Lab rates semi-aromatic nylon better than general nylon against weak acids, weak alkalis and most organic solvents[6][4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedAbsorbs water, properties shift — a saturated specimen loses about 15 % of its tensile strength and 25 °C of heat-deflection temperature[6][14]
Food contactNot certified for food contact[25]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[25]Not documented
RecyclabilityFibre-filled PETG is not accepted in household plastic collection[25]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — carbon fibre at this loading is not static-dissipative (3DXTech)[5]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[26]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[26]Not documented
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[5]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands to a matte finish more readily than unfilled PETG[18]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds it[18]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[18]Not documented
Support material pairingSupport for PLA or its own material (Bambu Lab)[1]Compatible with quick-release support materials (Siraya Tech)[6]
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte finish hides layer lines; stringing is reduced against unfilled PETG[1]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the matrix surface, 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it in a week.[27][28]Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents.[29]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[27]Mineral acids, oxidants, halogens and zinc chloride solutions attack the amide bond; ordinary solvents do not.[29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane reaches only the resin, so the fibre is left standing proud of the surface. Controlled carcinogen.[28]None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet.[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. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Prusament PETG Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Raise3D Industrial PPA CF Technical Data Sheet V2.0 Raise3D · 2022-04 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PPA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. CarbonX Carbon Fiber PETG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · tds
  7. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. SUNLU PETG-CF (PETG Carbon Fiber) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Fibreheart PETG-CF Pro Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. IEMAI CF-PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PETG Filament 1.75 mm, 1 kg Reli3D (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PET-G CF15 Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Filament PM CFJet technical data sheet (TDS CFJet ENG.pdf) Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  14. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. CARBONX PETG+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PA6-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  24. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA-CF Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · tds
  25. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. 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
  27. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds