3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS-ESD vs PSU

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

ESD-safe ABS guidePSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS-ESD comparisonsMore PSU comparisons
ABS-ESD vs PSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyESD-safe ABSABSPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$102.50/kg median; $47.00–$166.67/kg across 4 dated product listings$168.00/kg median; $168.00–$168.00/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS compounded with a conductive carbon filler for static-dissipative parts[1]Polysulfone — the lowest-temperature and cheapest of the sulfone family[2]
Densityg/cm³1.09 (ISO 1183)[1]1.24 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 47–167; the middle of the market is about 103[3][4][5]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 250[3]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg47–167 across brands; IEMAI 47, YXPOLYER 65, 3DXTech 140 at 750 g pricing; the EMI-shielding ABS grade runs 167[3][4][5]168-250 across formats; 250 g spool $42 (168/kg), 500 g $125 (250/kg) — 3DXTech is the only filament supplier found[3]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[3]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[3]1.75 mm; 250 g and 500 g spools[3]
Typical applicationsElectronics handling fixtures, trays and jigs used around static-sensitive parts[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[6]Actively heated chamber required[7][8]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[6][9]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[6]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[6]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[10]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[6]Expert / industrial hardware only[7][8]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[7]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for its ESD-ABS, only an 80 °C pre-dry[11]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[12]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[9]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[9]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[13][14][11]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.30 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[15]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[16]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[16]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[12]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[16]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa58 at break (printed XY, ISO 527) — the conductive filler raises strength above the unfilled grade's 42[1][17]52 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 81 at break on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[2][15]
Young's modulusMPa2130 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]2100 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2]
Elongation at break%4 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][18][15]
Flexural strengthMPa80 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]87 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Flexural modulusMPa2275 (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)[15]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Moderate[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M120 on extruded PSU stock (ASTM D785)[15]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 105 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1]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[15]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no S-N curve found; elongation at break 4 %, well below unfilled ABS[1][17]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][15]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented174 on extruded PSU stock, converted from 345 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[15]
Glass transition (Tg)°C105 (DSC)[1]187 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 185 on extruded stock (ASTM D3418), against 230 for PPSU[2][18][15]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented141 long-term service on extruded PSU stock, converted from 285 °F[15]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented55.8 (extruded PSU stock, ASTM D696; source states 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[15]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 on extruded PSU stock[15]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[19]Not documented
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[10]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[10]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[10]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance 10⁷–10⁹ ohm/sq, the static-dissipative band (ASTM D257), against above 10¹³ for unfilled ABS[1][17]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[20][6]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[20]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[20]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[20]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[20][6]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[20][6]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[20]
Dust & fibre handling hazardConductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[10]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[10]Not documented
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[21][6]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[22][19]Chlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane, chloroform — dissolve polysulfone; ketones and esters attack it as well.[23][22]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[22][24]Acetone, MEK, ethyl acetate, benzene and toluene craze or stress-crack it; methanol and isopropanol only marginally.[22][23]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[25]Dichloromethane cement welds PSU and NMP softens residual resin. Both are laboratory reagents.[23]

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