3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PP-CF vs PPA-CF

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

Carbon-fibre PP (PP-CF) guidePPA-CF (carbon-fibre polyphthalamide) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PP-CF comparisonsMore PPA-CF comparisons
PP-CF vs PPA-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF)POLYOLEFINPPA-CF (carbon-fibre polyphthalamide)PA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$107.68/kg median; $57.13–$120.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$84.99/kg median; $21.99–$266.67/kg across 7 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolypropylene reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1][2]Polyphthalamide — semi-aromatic nylon — with 10–15 wt% chopped carbon fibre; Bambu Lab lists the composition as semi-aromatic nylon plus carbon fibre, Raise3D and Siraya Tech state 15 wt%, Flashforge 10 %[3][4][5][6]
Densityg/cm³0.91 (Prusament PP Carbon Fiber, ISO 1183)[1]1.15 (Raise3D) to 1.25 (Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D), ISO 1183; Flashforge 1.21–1.23[3][4][5][7]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 57–138; the middle of the market is about 108[8][9][10]1 kg-equivalent spools span 22–267; the middle of the market is about 85[11][12][13][14][15][16]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg57–138 across brands; Reli3D 57 at 700 g on Amazon, Prusament 108 direct from Prusa and 138 at Printed Solid, 3DXTech CarbonX PP+CF 120[8][17][9][10]22–267 across brands; CHCKX 22 on Amazon, IEMAI 3D 51, Siraya Tech 57 and 85, Bambu Lab 200 at 750 g, Raise3D 209, 3DXTech CarbonX HTN+CF 267 at 750 g[11][12][13][18][14][15][16]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[9][17]Available from several mainstream brands[11][12][13][14][15]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.65 kg spools[17][9]1.75 mm; 750 g, 1 kg, 2 kg and 2.5 kg spools[3][13][15]
Typical applicationsLightweight chemical-resistant parts, automotive clips and ducting that must survive above 150 °C[19]Under-bonnet automotive brackets, jigs and end-use parts that must stay stiff above the 100 °C working ceiling of PA6-CF[4][5]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament)[1]0.05 (Bambu Lab and Siraya Tech, 1.75 mm)[3][6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C270 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]280–310 (Bambu Lab and CHCKX); 280–320 (Siraya Tech)[3][6][16]
Bed temperature°C85 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]100–120 (Bambu Lab and CHCKX); Siraya Tech runs cooler at 70–90[3][6][16]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[20][21]Enclosure required (passive) — Bambu Lab specifies a 50–80 °C chamber and Siraya Tech requires an enclosure, while Flashforge states its LUVOCOM-based grade prints on machines with no heated chamber[3][5][13]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented50–80 (Bambu Lab); specimens were printed at a 52 °C chamber and Bambu Lab notes 70–80 °C raises Z properties[3]
Part cooling fanOff — Prusa runs 0 % except 100 % on bridges[1]Bambu Lab turns the part fan on; Siraya Tech runs it off[3][6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedSmooth or textured PEI plate with a glue stick, or a PVP glue coating[3][6]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s3.2 at Prusa's 40 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][22]8–12 mm³/s at 300–320 °C (Siraya Tech)[6]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a brim[1]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[1]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[1]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; a 320 °C hot end and a hardened nozzle are the entry requirements[3][6]
Extruder requirementPrusa states a hardened nozzle is necessary and recommends a brim[1]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — Prusa states plainly that a hardened nozzle is necessary[1]Hardened steel required — Siraya Tech and CHCKX specify hardened steel or better, Raise3D warns brass wears quickly[4][6][16]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF/GF composites and glow fills[4][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[2][23]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Siraya Tech states nozzles below 0.4 mm will clog[6][13]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Prusa measures 0.03 % in 24 h and 0.04 % in 7 days on its PP composite, the lowest figures it publishes for any filament[1]High (0.8–2 %) — 1.30 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH for Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D against 2.35 % for the same makers' PA6-CF, which is the whole reason to pay for PPA[3][7][24]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[1]1.30 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D) against 2.35 for their PA6-CF; Siraya Tech 1.37 and 1.09 by ISO 62, Raise3D 0.6 by ISO 62 Method 1, Flashforge below 0.1 at 23 °C / 24 h[3][4][5][6][25][7][24]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented100–140 °C for 8–12 h (Bambu Lab, hotter is better within that range); Siraya Tech 100 °C for 4–6 h; Raise3D 80–100 °C for 6–12 h[3][4][6]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot applicable in practice at 0.04 % equilibrium uptake[1]Not documented
Storage requirementNo special storage needed[1]Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant (Bambu Lab); Raise3D keeps the spool in a dry box throughout the print[3][4]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa21 ± 0.4 filament tensile yield (Prusament, ISO 527)[1]95–168 (printed XY, ISO 527): Siraya Tech 95, Flashforge 108–112, Siraya Tech Core 112, Raise3D 122 conditioned and annealed, Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D 168[3][4][5][6][25][7]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented7100–11800 (printed XY): Flashforge 7100–8000, Raise3D and Siraya Tech 7800, Siraya Tech Core 9300, Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D 11800[3][4][5][6][25][7]
Elongation at break%Not documented1.9–5 at break (printed XY): Raise3D 1.9, Siraya Tech 2, Siraya Tech Core 2.25, Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D 3.2, Flashforge 3.5–5[3][4][5][6][25][7]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented145–221 (printed XY, ISO 178): Siraya Tech 145, Siraya Tech Core 178, Raise3D 190, Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D 208, Flashforge 210–221[3][4][5][6][25][7]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented6500–9860 (printed XY, ISO 178): Flashforge 6500–7000, Siraya Tech 6800, Raise3D 8510, Siraya Tech Core 8700, Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D 9860[3][4][5][6][25][7]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²14.5 ± 0.3 printed horizontal and 10.5 ± 0.8 printed vertical XZ (ISO 179-1, notched)[1]6.5 notched Charpy XY (Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D, ISO 179); Raise3D 7.8 and Siraya Tech 11 by ISO 179 without stating notched[3][4][6][7]
Other impact dataNot documentedBambu Lab and IEMAI 3D unnotched Charpy 41.7 kJ/m² XY against 4.3 in Z; Flashforge Izod 9–11 kJ/m² XY against 2.5–3 in Z[3][5][7]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented57 printed Z (Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D, ISO 527); Raise3D measures 30.2 by a custom mono-layer method[3][4][7]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2–3 % elongation at break is typical[3][4][6]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded unfilled PP stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre PP filament[26]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedGood — Flashforge cites outstanding creep resistance at high temperature and Raise3D high creep resistance, both against other nylons[4][5]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good[27]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented34 (Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D, Z against XY tensile, ISO 527)[3][7]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C158 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — far above unfilled PP and above most engineering filaments[1]188–227 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa): Raise3D 188, Flashforge 220, Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D 227; Siraya Tech reaches 192–199 only after annealing, 84.5–97 unannealed[3][4][5][6][25][7]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C115 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]113–196 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa): Raise3D 113, Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D 196; Siraya Tech reaches 119–126 only after annealing, 82.5–84 unannealed[3][4][6][25][7]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented80 (Siraya Tech, ASTM D3418) to 85 (Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D, DSC)[3][6][7]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedMelting point 231 (Raise3D) to 258 (Bambu Lab and IEMAI 3D); Vicat softening 230–238 (ISO 306)[3][4][6][25][7]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented120 (Flashforge, IEC 60216, LUVOCOM PPA-CF)[5]
Annealing responseNot documentedBambu Lab anneals at 120–140 °C for 6–12 h; Raise3D at 80–100 °C for 8 h and warns of up to 0.5 % Z shrinkage. On Siraya Tech's grades annealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 84.5 to 192 °C while notched Charpy falls from 11 to 6.3 kJ/m²[3][4][6]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; Bambu Lab lists water, carbon oxides and nitrogen oxides as combustion products. No UL 94 rating is published for the filament grades surveyed[3]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceExcellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents[21]Better than general nylon against weak acids, weak alkalis, most organic solvents and most oils and greases (Bambu Lab); not resistant to strong acids or strong alkalis[3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected[1]Good — minor absorption; 1.3 % saturated moisture is roughly half what PA6-CF takes up[3][24]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedFlashforge's data sheet gives a surface resistance of 10³ Ω or below (IEC 60093) for its LUVOCOM-based PPA-CF — the carbon loading makes it conductive rather than merely dissipative[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission. Inferred: no polyolefin was among the nine filaments in the Azimi chamber study, so this is a family-level judgement rather than a measurement[28]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[28]Not documented
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Chopped carbon fibre; dry sanding and cutting release respirable fibre-laden dust[29]
Post-Processing
Support material pairingNot documentedBambu Lab pairs it with Support for PA/PET; Raise3D warns that PPA-CF used as its own support bonds permanently to the model once it takes up moisture, so supports must come off before annealing[3][4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone at room temperature; chloroform dissolves the matrix at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C, leaving the fibre.[30][31]Formic acid, phenol, m-cresol and hexafluoroisopropanol dissolve the matrix at 23 °C, leaving the fibre; laboratory reagents.[32]
Softened or crazed byXylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[30]Zinc chloride solutions stress-crack the nylon matrix, alcoholic calcium chloride dissolves it, mineral acids attack it.[32]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[30]None — nylon's only solvents (formic acid, phenol, HFIP) degrade the part, and the fibre blocks surface flow anyway.[32]

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. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  2. CarbonX PP+CF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PPA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Raise3D Industrial PPA CF Technical Data Sheet V2.0 Raise3D · 2022-04 · tds
  5. Flashforge PPA-CF Filament Technical Data Sheet (LUVOCOM PPA-CF, 10 % carbon fibre) Flashforge · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA-CF Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · tds
  7. IEMAI 3D CF-PPA Technical Data Sheet IEMAI 3D · 2025-04 · tds
  8. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Black 650g — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PP Filament 1.75 mm 700 g Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PPA-CF — Bambu Lab US Store Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Raise3D Industrial PPA CF Filament 1.75 mm (1 kg) — product listing MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Fibreheart PPA-CF Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. IEMAI 3D CF-PPA 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. CARBONX HTN+CF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. CHCKX PPA-CF 3D Printing Filament Matte Black 1 kg 1.75 mm 10 % Carbon Fiber — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA-CF Core Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PA6-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Siraya Tech Fibreheart PPA-CF Core Technical Data Sheet Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · tds
  26. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  28. 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
  29. PET-CF / PPA-CF / PPS-CF / PA6-CF carbon fibre filament usage guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  31. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  32. Ultramid Nylon Chemical Resistance guide (unmodified PA6 B27E and PA66 A27E) BASF · 2026-08 · tds