3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-CF vs PPS

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

Carbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF) guidePPS guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-CF comparisonsMore PPS comparisons
ABS-CF vs PPS — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF)ABSPPSHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$35.99/kg median; $22.00–$125.00/kg across 7 dated product listings$116.97/kg median; $84.00–$200.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1]Polyphenylene sulfide — a semi-crystalline high-temperature polymer[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.11 (ISO 1183)[1]1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech) and 1.33 (ISO 1183, Spectrum PPS AM230)[2][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 22–125; the middle of the market is about 36[5][6][7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools span 84–200; the middle of the market is about 117[5][10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg22–125 across brands; IEMAI 22, Siraya Tech 28 and 36 for the core-shell grade, YXPOLYER 35, Push Plastic 50 at 2 kg, 3DXTech 64 at 750 g; Stratasys-compatible cartridges run far higher[5][6][7][8][12][9]84-200 across brands and diameters; IEMAI 3D 84 at 1 kg, Spectrum PPS AM230 117 at 750 g, 3DXTech ThermaX PPS 140 at 2.85 mm and 200 at 1.75 mm[5][10][11]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools plus Stratasys-compatible cartridges[5][6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 500 g and 750 g spools[5][10]
Typical applicationsStiff tooling and fixtures that must survive above 100 °C[1]Chemical-plant and under-bonnet parts needing solvent resistance above 200 °C[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented335-345 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); 300-330 (Spectrum)[2][4]
Bed temperature°CNot documented110-130 (3DXTech); 100-120 (Spectrum)[2][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[13]Actively heated chamber required[14][15]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented60-80 actively heated (Spectrum PPS AM230)[4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[13][16]Adhesive required — Spectrum specifies Magigoo Pro HT[4]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ABS[13]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[13]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[17]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[13]Expert / industrial hardware only[14][15]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[13]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[14]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[13]Non-abrasive when unfilled[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech specifies a hardened nozzle of 0.4 mm minimum and 0.25 mm layers or higher, and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[18][19][20]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 110 °C pre-dry before every print[21]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[16]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[16]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the ABS matrix takes up 0.51–0.65 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 80 °C, 4 h pre-dry[22][23][18]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Polymaker states minimal water absorption at 0.05 %[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.01 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570) — effectively non-absorbing[24]
Drying temperature & timeNot documentedAt least 3 h at 90 °C in hot dry air if the filament has taken up moisture (Spectrum)[4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[25]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam in the hotend and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[25]Little to measure — equilibrium uptake is 0.05 %; 3DXTech still specifies a 110 °C, 4 h pre-dry before printing[3][21]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[25]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa46 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]50 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 65 at break injection-moulded (ISO 527, Spectrum); 94 at yield on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[2][4][24]
Young's modulusMPa5210 (printed XY, ISO 527) — more than double unfilled ABS[1]2650 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 3650 injection-moulded (ISO 527, Spectrum); 5769 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[2][4][24]
Elongation at break%2 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) against 2.0 injection-moulded (Spectrum) and 2.5 on extruded stock — the suppliers disagree by nearly an order of magnitude[2][4][24]
Flexural strengthMPa76 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]52 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech); 141 on extruded stock (ASTM D790)[2][24]
Flexural modulusMPa5260 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2540 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented1.3 notched injection-moulded (ISO 179-1eA, Spectrum); unnotched 18[4]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 33 J/m on extruded PPS stock, converted from 0.62 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[24]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 2 %[1]Moderate[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell 105 (and R124) on extruded PPS stock (ASTM D785)[24]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good — no creep test found; chopped carbon fibre restrains matrix flow and modulus rises to 5210 MPa against 2200–2330 for unfilled ABS[1][22][23]Excellent — holds load for years. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PPS stock, and Spectrum states that rigidity, strength and creep resistance are unchanged under continuous load at high temperature[24][4]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 2 % against 10.5 % for unfilled ABS[1][22]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented90 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 129 injection-moulded (ISO 75, Spectrum); 204 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[2][4][24]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented107 injection-moulded (ISO 75 at 1.81 MPa, Spectrum); 104 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[4][24]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented283 melting (ISO 11357, 3DXTech) and 280 on extruded stock; Vicat softening 236 at 50 N injection-moulded (ISO 306, Spectrum)[2][4][24]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented170 long-term service on extruded PPS stock, converted from 338 °F[24]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K19–25 along the print bead and 80–84 in the build direction at 30 °C (20 wt% CF, large-format printed, TMA)[26]59.4 (extruded PPS stock, 22-60 °C, ASTM D696; source states 3.3e-5 in/in/°F)[24]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[2]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[27]Outstanding — PPS resists essentially all solvents below 200 °C[3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected; extruded stock takes up 0.01 % water in 24 h[24]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[17]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[17]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[17]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (ASTM D257)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[28][13]Moderate — 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[28]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[28]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min2 × 10¹⁰ to 9 × 10¹⁰ median across all ABS printers, two orders of magnitude above PLA's ≈1 × 10⁸[28]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedStyrene dominates. Bambu Lab states ABS and ASA release harmful gases such as styrene at printing temperature, which can be toxic and cause dizziness or nausea[28][13]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[28][13]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[28]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[17]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[17]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone smoothing is blunted by the fibre — only the resin fraction dissolves[27]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[29][13]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves the resin and leaves the fibre as sludge; MEK, THF, ethyl acetate and chlorinated solvents do the same.[30][27]None — PPS does not dissolve in any known solvent below 200 °C.[31][30]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[30][32]Nothing at 23 °C; Ensinger rates it only conditionally resistant to benzene, dichloromethane, toluene and pyridine.[30]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[33][27]None — no solvent welds or smooths PPS.[31]

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 ABS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. ThermaX PPS Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. PPS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  4. Spectrum PPS AM230 Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2022-04 · tds
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI CF-ABS 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. YXPOLYER ABS CF product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Spectrum PPS AM230 Natural, 1.75 mm / 750 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI 3D PPS 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Core Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  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. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. CARBONX ABS+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Carbon Fiber Filled — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. THERMAX PPS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  24. TECATRON natural (PPS) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Effects of Fiber Orientation on the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Fiber-Filled Polymer Systems in Large Format Polymer Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Materials 15(8):2764 · 2022-04 · paper
  27. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · 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. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  31. PPS (Polyphenylene sulfide) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  32. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc