3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-CF vs PSU

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

Carbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF) guidePSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-CF comparisonsMore PSU comparisons
ABS-CF vs PSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre ABS (ABS-CF)ABSPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$35.99/kg median; $22.00–$125.00/kg across 7 dated product listings$168.00/kg median; $168.00–$168.00/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1]Polysulfone — the lowest-temperature and cheapest of the sulfone family[2]
Densityg/cm³1.11 (ISO 1183)[1]1.24 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 22–125; the middle of the market is about 36[3][4][5][6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 250[3]
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[3][4][5][6][8][7]168-250 across formats; 250 g spool $42 (168/kg), 500 g $125 (250/kg) — 3DXTech is the only filament supplier found[3]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[3][4]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[3]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 2 kg spools plus Stratasys-compatible cartridges[3][4]1.75 mm; 250 g and 500 g spools[3]
Typical applicationsStiff tooling and fixtures that must survive above 100 °C[1]Transparent high-temperature housings, medical trays and hot-water fittings[2]
Printing Parameters
Bed temperature°CNot documented120–140 (3DXTech)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[9]Actively heated chamber required[10][11]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[9][12]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled ABS[9]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[9]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[13]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[9]Expert / industrial hardware only[10][11]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[9]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[10]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[9]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[14][15][16]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[17]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[12]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[12]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[18][19][14]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.30 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[20]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[21]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[21]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[17]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[21]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa46 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]52 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 81 at break on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[2][20]
Young's modulusMPa5210 (printed XY, ISO 527) — more than double unfilled ABS[1]2100 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2]
Elongation at break%2 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]8 (printed XY, ISO 527) against 50 on extruded stock — nearly three times PPSU's printed 3 %[2][22][20]
Flexural strengthMPa76 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]87 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Flexural modulusMPa5260 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2050 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 69 J/m on extruded PSU stock, converted from 1.3 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[20]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation at break 2 %[1]Moderate[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M120 on extruded PSU stock (ASTM D785)[20]
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][18][19]Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PSU stock, which is rated to 173 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa[20]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break falls to 2 % against 10.5 % for unfilled ABS[1][18]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented172 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 181 on extruded stock, converted from 358 °F at 66 psi[2][20]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented174 on extruded PSU stock, converted from 345 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[20]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]187 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 185 on extruded stock (ASTM D3418), against 230 for PPSU[2][22][20]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented141 long-term service on extruded PSU stock, converted from 285 °F[20]
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)[23]55.8 (extruded PSU stock, ASTM D696; source states 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[20]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 on extruded PSU stock[20]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[24]Not documented
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[13]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[13]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[13]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (ASTM D257)[1]Surface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — an insulator (IEC 60093)[2]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[25][9]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[25]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[25]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[25]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[25][9]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[25][9]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25]
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[13]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[13]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone smoothing is blunted by the fibre — only the resin fraction dissolves[24]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[26][9]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.[27][24]Chlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane, chloroform — dissolve polysulfone; ketones and esters attack it as well.[28][27]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[27][29]Acetone, MEK, ethyl acetate, benzene and toluene craze or stress-crack it; methanol and isopropanol only marginally.[27][28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone vapour reaches only the resin fraction, so the fibre is left standing proud of the smoothed surface.[30][24]Dichloromethane cement welds PSU and NMP softens residual resin. Both are laboratory reagents.[28]

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 PSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. IEMAI CF-ABS 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. YXPOLYER ABS CF product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Siraya Tech Fibreheart ABS-CF Core Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  11. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  12. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. CARBONX ABS+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Carbon Fiber Filled — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. THERMAX PSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  20. TECASON S natural (PSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  23. 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
  24. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  25. 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
  26. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  29. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc