The long-chain nylon: fewest amide groups, so the least moisture uptake and the best dimensional stability of the family — Polymaker's PA12 composite holds 1.5 % equilibrium against 3.33 %…
Open in interactive comparisonDimensionally stable functional parts, ducting and living hinges where PA6 would move too much with humidity
The long-chain nylon: fewest amide groups, so the least moisture uptake and the best dimensional stability of the family — Polymaker's PA12 composite holds 1.5 % equilibrium against 3.33 % for its PA6 grade.
PA12 fills the role of a tough nylon with comparatively low moisture sensitivity, useful where parts must flex repeatedly while retaining a reasonably stable fit. This explains its use in clips, press-fit interfaces and fluid-line systems. Evonik documents widespread VESTAMID L PA12 use in automotive fuel lines; the practical advantage is combining chemical resistance and low-temperature toughness with a lightweight polymer line rather than a heavy or more rigid alternative.
Lower moisture sensitivity than shorter-chain nylons helps preserve mating clearances, but PA12 still absorbs water and requires dry processing. Printed elongation is strongly orientation-dependent, which matters at a flexing latch root. Sustained loads can cause creep, and close-fitting parts need their conditioned dimensions checked. Fluid sealing, pressure capability and gear wear depend on the compound, surface finish and manufacturing process.
Extrusion of mono- or multilayer tubing · Application-specific VESTAMID L PA12 line compounds; not generic unfilled FDM PA12 · Manufacturer-listed applications
Evonik identifies VESTAMID L fuel lines as an established PA12 application and continues to develop molding compounds for automotive line systems. This shows an industrial role for the polymer, not a recommendation to print a fuel-pressure component.
Check the model’s material and process notes before choosing a filament.
Representative catalog values. Check the exact grade and its linked conditions before using a setting.
260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)
260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)
110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)
110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12)
Enclosure required (passive)
60–80 °C for 8–12 h (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); 100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)
60–80 °C for 8–12 h (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); 100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA)
Open a topic to explore the complete data. Each value keeps its original conditions, units and dated sources.
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Base polymer / chemistry | Polyamide 12 — the longest-chain common nylon, with the fewest amide groups per unit mass and so the least moisture uptake | 2 sources
|
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.01 specific gravity (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D792) | 1 source
|
| Typical price (USD/kg) | 1 kg-equivalent spools span 36–171; the middle of the market is about 64 | 2 sources
|
| Price range across brands (USD/kg) | 36–171 across brands; IEMAI 3D 36, Fiberlogy 64 at 3DJake, 3DXTech AmideX Nylon 12 171 | 3 sources
|
| Market availability (1–5) | Available from several mainstream brands | 2 sources
|
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 1 kg spools | 2 sources
|
| Typical applications | Dimensionally stable functional parts, ducting and living hinges where PA6 would move too much with humidity | 2 sources
|
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle temperature (°C) | 260–290 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12) | 1 source
|
| Bed temperature (°C) | 110 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12) | 1 source
|
| Enclosure / chamber requirement (1–5) | Enclosure required (passive) | 1 source
|
| Part cooling fan | Part cooling fan not required (Simplify3D) | 1 source
|
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | PEI sheet with a glue stick, or a dedicated adhesive such as Magigoo | 2 sources
|
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions) (mm³/s) | 12 at Extrudr's 150 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer | 2 sources
|
| Bed-adhesion difficulty (1–5) | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive | 2 sources
|
| Stringing / oozing tendency (1–5) | Moderate — retraction tuning needed | 1 source
|
| Overall printing difficulty (1–5) | Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning | 1 source
|
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle hardness required (1–4) | Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades | 1 source
|
| Abrasiveness (1–5) | Non-abrasive when unfilled | 1 source
|
| Nozzle clog risk (1–5) | High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles | 2 sources
|
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity (1–5) | Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed | 1 source
|
| Hotend requirement | May require an all-metal hot end (Simplify3D) | 1 source
|
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity) (1–5) | High (0.8–2 %) — Polymaker's PA12-CF10 reaches 1.5 % equilibrium against 3.33 % for its PA6-GF25, and Polymaker developed the PA12 grade specifically for lower moisture sensitivity | 2 sources
|
| Drying temperature & time | 60–80 °C for 8–12 h (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); 100 °C for 8 h (Polymaker CoPA) | 2 sources
|
| Symptoms when wet | Popping and cracking during extrusion, then hard-to-diagnose defects | 1 source
|
| Effect of moisture on strength | Polymaker states its PA12 grade changes little between wet and dry, unlike its PA6-based materials; the CoPA dry-to-wet reference shows what the PA6-type response looks like | 2 sources
|
| Storage requirement | Sealed below 20 % RH with desiccant | 1 source
|
| Hydrolysis at melt temperature | Polymaker requires a 100 °C dry for 8 h and storage below 20 % RH; no molecular-weight loss figure is published, and the published wet data is conditioning rather than melt hydrolysis | 2 sources
|
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength (XY) (MPa) | 49.3 at yield and 33.4 at break printed XZ (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638) | 1 source
|
| Young's modulus (MPa) | 1510 printed XZ and 1250 ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638) | 1 source
|
| Elongation at break (%) | 30 at break printed XZ against 6.5 in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638) | 1 source
|
| Charpy impact, notched (kJ/m²) | 11 at +23 °C and 6.0 at -30 °C (Extrudr DuraPro PA12, ISO 179/1eA); unnotched does not break | 1 source
|
| Other impact data | Izod notched 138 J/m printed XZ against 71.0 J/m in ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D256) | 1 source
|
| Layer adhesion / Z tensile (MPa) | 41.8 at yield and 41.2 at break printed ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D638) — higher than the XZ break figure, because XZ specimens draw and neck first | 1 source
|
| Brittleness (1–5) | Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking | 1 source
|
| Creep resistance / sustained load (1–5) | Moderate — the long-chain polyamides hold load better than PLA but below PC | 1 source
|
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance (1–5) | Excellent — living hinges viable. Stratasys sells FDM Nylon 12 specifically for repetitive-flex parts such as snap-fit clips and press-fit inserts on the strength of its fatigue properties | 2 sources
|
| Elasticity / flexibility (1–5) | Semi-flexible | 1 source
|
| Z strength as % of XY (%) | 85 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638) — one of the least anisotropic unfilled filaments measured | 1 source
|
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| HDT at 0.45 MPa (°C) | 94.7 printed XY and 91.9 in XZ/ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D648 at 66 psi) | 1 source
|
| HDT at 1.8 MPa (°C) | 84.3 printed XY and 75.3 in XZ/ZX (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D648 at 264 psi) | 1 source
|
| Glass transition (Tg) (°C) | 34.0 (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM D7426 inflection point) | 1 source
|
| Melting point / Vicat (°C) | Vicat A 142 (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12, ISO 306) | 1 source
|
| Continuous service temperature (°C) | Bounded by a Vicat softening point of 142 °C (Extrudr DURAPRO PA12); no loaded-bar service figure is published | 1 source
|
| Thermal expansion (CTE) (µm/m·K) | 84-103 printed (Stratasys FDM Nylon 12, ASTM E831: 84.4 in XY and 85.6 in XZ/ZX over -50 to 10 °C, 89.1 over 10-45 °C, 98.2 over 45-70 °C); Extrudr quotes 100 for DURAPRO PA12 (ISO 11359-2) | 2 sources
|
| Flammability / UL 94 | Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the unfilled grades surveyed | 1 source
|
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| UV resistance (1–5) | Months outdoors before embrittlement | 1 source
|
| Chemical resistance | Withstands oils, fuels and alkalis | 1 source
|
| Water / humidity resistance in service (1–5) | Good — minor absorption; the least moisture-sensitive of the common nylons | 1 source
|
| Food contact | Not food-contact certified as filament | 1 source
|
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not biodegradable | 1 source
|
| Recyclability | Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection | 1 source
|
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fume toxicity (1–5) | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised | |
| VOC emission rate (µg/min) | Up to 180 caprolactam, the dominant VOC from nylon; total VOC reached nearly 200 µg/min, the highest of the nine filaments tested | |
| Ultrafine-particle emission rate (particles/min) | ≈2 × 10⁸ median — low for ultrafine particles despite the highest VOC mass of any filament tested | |
| Hazardous species emitted | Caprolactam, at up to 180 µg/min from nylon filament — the largest single-VOC emission rate measured in the study | |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement (1–5) | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended |
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Sanding & machining | Sands poorly — gums rather than powders | 1 source
|
| Gluing & solvent welding | Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds polyamide | 1 source
|
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | No practical vapour smoothing | 1 source
|
| Support material pairing | Polymaker sells a break-away PolySupport matched to PA12 | 1 source
|
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | Holds dimensions better than PA6 after conditioning — Polymaker singles its PA12 grade out on exactly this point | 1 source
|
| Property and unit | Published value and conditions | Sources and dates |
|---|---|---|
| Soluble in | Dissolved at 23 °C by formic acid, phenol, m-cresol, 96 % sulphuric acid or hexafluoroisopropanol — all laboratory reagents. | 2 sources |
| Softened or crazed by | Not resistant to 10 % formic acid, phenol, chloroform or dichloromethane (Ensinger); zinc chloride stress-cracks nylon. | 2 sources |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — nylon's only solvents are formic acid, phenol and HFIP, all of which degrade the part they wet. | 1 source |
Values describe representative grades, not every spool. Manufacturer datasheets and independent tests retain their source labels and dates. Printed orientation, test method, conditioning and formulation can change results. Unknown values are —. A listed use is not a certification. Shore A, Shore D and Rockwell hardness are separate scales.
Historical USD/kg snapshots. Read each listing’s sale/from qualifiers, spool mass, source date, shipping and tax notes. Product figures are separate from the material summary.
$36.00 / 1 kg spool, store.iemai3d.com, Aug 2026
White, 1.75 mm. The cheapest PA12 filament found.
Open product listing ↗| Density (g/cm³) | 1.13 at 21 °C (ISO 1183) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength (XY) (MPa) | 50 (printed XY, ISO 527) |
|
| Elongation at break (%) | 150 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) |
|
| Flexural modulus (MPa) | 1600 (printed XY, ISO 178) |
|
| HDT at 1.8 MPa (°C) | 155 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa) |
|
| Glass transition (Tg) (°C) | 67 (DSC, 10 °C/min) |
|
$64.33 / 1 kg, 3djake.com nylon listing, Aug 2026
Price shown per kilogram on the listing.
Open product listing ↗| Density (g/cm³) | 1.01 (ISO 1183) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 mm; TDS states 0.75 kg net, retail listings show 1 kg spools |
|
| Diameter tolerance (± mm) | 0.02 |
|
| Nozzle temperature (°C) | 255–270 |
|
| Bed temperature (°C) | 100 |
|
| Tensile strength (XY) (MPa) | 51 at break, 45 at yield (ISO 527) |
|
| Young's modulus (MPa) | 1400 (ISO 527) |
|
| Elongation at break (%) | >200 at break, 5 at yield (ISO 527) |
|
| Flexural modulus (MPa) | 1150 (ISO 178) |
|
| Other impact data | Izod notched 12 kJ/m² at 23 °C (ISO 180) |
|
| HDT at 0.45 MPa (°C) | 135 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) |
|
| HDT at 1.8 MPa (°C) | 55 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa) |
|
| Melting point / Vicat (°C) | 178 melting point (DSC); Vicat 145 (ISO 306) |
|
| Continuous service temperature (°C) | 65 (UL 746 yellow-card continuous use) |
|
$128.00 / 750 g spool = $170.67/kg, 3dxtech.com product catalogue, Aug 2026
3DXTech lists print, bed and drying settings on the product page but publishes no technical data sheet for this grade — the TDS index carries no AmideX Nylon 12 entry.
Open product listing ↗| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 mm, 750 g |
|
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle temperature (°C) | 275–300 |
|
| Bed temperature (°C) | 60–100 |
|
| Drying temperature & time | 80 °C for 4 h |
|
Compare specific grades and connect test results to part design.
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