PA6-CF vs PA12-CF: comparing datasheets and conditions

Two different nylons behind the same CF label

The “CF” suffix indicates fiber reinforcement, not the base polymer: the products named here are one PA6-CF family and two PA12-CF references. The PolyMide brochure says its PA12-CF has low moisture sensitivity and, in its comparison with PolyMide PA6-CF and other PA6 products, the lowest absorption and small changes between dry and wet states. Fiberon also describes its PA12-CF10 as less moisture-sensitive than PA6/66 and PA6-based materials. These are manufacturer comparisons for the named formulations, not a universal rule for every PA6-CF and PA12-CF grade.

The Fiberon PA12-CF10 TDS compares moisture sensitivity with PA6/66 and PA6-based materials. It does not replace the complete sheet of a selected PA6-CF. Read the two documents under their respective names and versions; their presence alone proves neither identical formulation nor a chronology of changes. The PA6 vs PA12 guide supplies base-polymer context, while this page examines documented conditions for the reinforced references.

Fiber content changes how you read every number

Fiber loading is another field to record from the datasheet. The PolyMide brochure lists 10% chopped carbon fiber by weight for that product; The TDS is named Fiberon PA12-CF10 and describes carbon reinforcement without an explicit mass percentage in the reviewed text: the name alone does not replace that datum. The brochure places Z-direction layer-adhesion results for PolyMide PA12-CF, unfilled PA12 and a competing 35%-fiber product side by side. Those figures belong to its specimens and test method; they do not establish that higher fiber loading always improves or reduces every part direction.

For two grades, record the published type and amount of reinforcement; if they differ, attribute any comparison to the complete formulations rather than to PA6 or PA12 alone. The example of 20%-fiber PA6-CF against 10%-fiber PA12-CF is hypothetical and illustrates the issue; it is not a product tested here. The carbon-fiber nylon page covers reinforcement generally.

Dry state, wet state: read the test line before the value

Attach a mechanical value to its conditioning state before comparing it. The Fiberon PA12-CF10 datasheet splits results into a dry block and a wet block. Dry specimens were annealed at 100 °C for 16 hours. Wet specimens got the same anneal, then 48 hours in 60 °C water, reaching an average moisture content of 2.92 percent. The PolyMide PA12-CF brochure uses a different protocol: 3 days immersed in room-temperature water. Two wet datasheets from the same manufacturer are therefore not directly comparable with each other.

Annealing deserves the same scrutiny. The PolyMide brochure compares as-printed and 80 °C, 6-hour annealed parts: tensile strength from 43.55 MPa to 71.63 MPa, modulus from 1971.77 MPa to 3304.39 MPa, bending strength from 48.19 MPa to 109.97 MPa. The Fiberon sheet lists 77.4 MPa dry XY tensile strength, but only on specimens annealed at 100 °C. Before you line up a PA6-CF, find the same ISO 527 or ISO 178 method, the same state and the same anneal on its datasheet. If the conditions differ, present the differences without assigning their cause to the base polymer alone.

Service humidity: the core argument for PA12-CF

For the Fiberon PA12-CF10 product, the datasheet gives equilibrium water absorption of 1.5% at 23 °C and 70% RH, then separates dry and wet specimen results. It reports XY and Z tensile values, XY bending and XY modulus under its protocol. The PolyMide brochure describes a different product and conditioning method. These values characterize the named references and tests; they do not rank PA12-CF against all PA6-CF grades.

The PolyMide brochure qualitatively reports lower absorption and smaller dry/wet changes for its PA12-CF than in its comparison with PA6 products; Fiberon makes a similar statement for its PA12-CF10. The scope remains those manufacturer claims. For an outdoor, damp or liquid-exposed part, consult data for the exact grade and relevant service conditions. These datasheet values do not guarantee a real part’s performance or a critical use.

Heat, stiffness and annealing on the PA12-CF datasheets

Both PA12-CF references report an HDT of 105 °C at 1.8 MPa; Fiberon also lists 131 °C at 0.45 MPa for PA12-CF10. These are heat-deflection test temperatures under the stated methods, not continuous-use limits or validation for contact with a heat source. For an exact PA6-CF grade, compare only the same method and load; Tg, HDT and melting temperature are not interchangeable.

The Fiberon datasheet measures a 40 mm model after printing and then after annealing: it reports 39.88 then 39.84 mm in XY, and 39.79 then 39.48 mm in Z, at 30% infill. It also reports a nominal 10 mm diameter measured at 9.91 then 9.85 mm. These are dimensions from its specimen and procedure, not a universal compensation factor. For tight tolerances, evaluate the relevant part and process against the datasheet’s limitations.

Printing: nozzle, temperatures, storage and supports

The PolyMide brochure recommends an abrasion-resistant nozzle and says brass can be damaged after a few hundred grams. Fiberon estimates typical brass life at about nine hours and highly recommends a wear-resistant nozzle such as hardened steel or ruby. These estimates are neither interchangeable nor guarantees. PolyMide lists 260–300°C nozzle, 25–50°C bed and chamber, with a 50°C maximum for the latter two, and 30–60 mm/s. Record those bounds rather than transferring a warmer chamber recommendation from another nylon.

Drying instructions differ: Fiberon specifies 100 °C/10 h and below 20% RH for storage and use; the PolyMide brochure lists 80 °C/12 h and warns that filament that is too dry can hinder extrusion. These instructions belong to those references; check that the equipment used is suitable for the required temperature. Support notes apply to the procedures and products described in each sheet and do not automatically transfer to another grade. For its reference, Fiberon lists 280–300°C nozzle, 40–50°C bed, room-temperature chamber, fan off and up to 300 mm/s. PolyMide also specifies fan off; these ranges guarantee neither a particular printer's speed nor its result.

A four-question method for your part

Ask in order: what humidity will the part face, which properties does the exact grade datasheet measure in comparable states, what dimensions are required after any anneal, and what nozzle and temperature range does your printer support? The available documents describe two PA12-CF products, not a matched dataset for a chosen PA6-CF. The moisture advantage Polymaker and Fiberon report remains a statement about their exact products.

The two documents concern references from one manufacturer under different conditions. Do not turn their figures into a ranking of all PA6-CF and PA12-CF. For an equipment estimate, record the actual nozzle, dryer and other selected items in the budget tool, then check the exact references' constraints. An equipment list establishes neither part performance nor correspondence between dry, wet and annealed states. Keep each measured property with its specimen preparation when writing a project specification.

Sources and limits

• Polymaker — PolyMide PA12-CF product information V1, printing and conditioning
• Polymaker Fiberon — PA12-CF10 TDS V1.1, dry/wet and annealing conditions

We organize manufacturer and community documentation; we have not measured these products ourselves. The manual for your exact model takes precedence over general guidance.