3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

ABS+ vs PP

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

ABS+ / Tough ABS guidePolypropylene (PP) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ABS+ comparisonsMore PP comparisons
ABS+ vs PP — documented properties and sources
PropertyABS+ / Tough ABSABSPolypropylene (PP)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$26.49/kg median; $15.99–$29.99/kg across 4 dated product listings$46.56/kg median; $31.99–$53.00/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryABS reformulated for lower warping and a higher glass transition; Polymaker's ABS Pro and ABS Max reach Tg 114.9 and 126.3 °C against 101 °C for PolyLite ABS[1][2][3]Polypropylene — a semi-crystalline polyolefin with no polar groups, so it neither absorbs water nor bonds to most bed surfaces[4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ABS Pro) and 1.06 (ABS Max), ISO 1183[1][2]0.91 (Prusa PP composite, ISO 1183) — the lightest common filament[6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 27[7]1 kg-equivalent spools span 27–53; the middle of the market is about 44[8][9][10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg16–30 across brands; SUNLU E-ABS 16, Polymaker ABS Pro 25, YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced 28, Polymaker ABS Max 30[7][12][13]27–53 across brands; Reli3D 32 on Amazon, SUNLU 44 at 0.8 kg, Fiberlogy 49 at 750 g, IEMAI 3D 53, and the 3DJake PP listing spans 27–49[8][14][9][10][11]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[7]Available from several mainstream brands[14][9][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 kg spools[7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 kg spools are common[9]
Typical applicationsLarge enclosure and automotive parts where plain ABS warps or softens too early[1][2]Living hinges, chemical-resistant containers, automotive clips and packaging prototypes[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C270–290 (ABS Pro); 270–300 (ABS Max) — 25–35 °C above plain ABS[1][2]210–230 (Braskem-type PE/PP window); Formfutura's Centaur PP melts at 205 ± 15 °C[4]
Bed temperature°C120 (ABS Max)[2]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][2][15]Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[16][5]
Part cooling fanNot documentedPart cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[16]
Bed surface & adhesion aidClean the plate and apply glue; Simplify3D also lists Kapton tape and ABS slurry[15][17]Packing tape, a polypropylene sheet, or a PP-specific adhesive such as Magigoo PP — ordinary PLA and ABS adhesives do not hold it[16][5]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sUp to 250 mm/s (ABS Pro) and 200 mm/s (ABS Max), equivalent to 20 and 16 on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][2][18]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[15]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; PP's crystallinity drives shrinkage and Prusa recommends a brim on its PP grades[6][19]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[15]Very difficult — special plates or slurry required. PP bonds to almost nothing; a polypropylene-specific tape or adhesive is the normal answer[6][5]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[20]Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[5]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; the hotter nozzle rules out PTFE-lined hotends[1][2]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; bed adhesion is the whole problem[5][6]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[15]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades — Simplify3D states no special hotend is required[16]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[15]Non-abrasive when unfilled[16]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — unfilled ABS compound; no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks[17][21]Low — Simplify3D lists no special hotend requirement for PP and clogging is not among its listed drawbacks[22][16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[17]Slightly sensitive[16]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[17]No special hot-end required (Simplify3D)[16]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.51 % maximum water absorption (ABS Pro)[1]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Prusa measures 0.03 % in 24 h and 0.04 % in 7 days on its PP composite, the lowest figures it publishes for any filament[6]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.51 maximum water absorption (Polymaker ABS Pro)[1]0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers, measured on its PP composite)[6]
Drying temperature & time70 °C for 6 h (ABS Max)[2]No drying step is published for PP; uptake is below the level that affects printing[6]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle; Polymaker still advises a 70 °C dry for 4–6 h despite the low uptake[5]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures[22]Not applicable in practice — with equilibrium uptake at 0.04 %, there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure. Polymaker's sensitivity tiers put polyolefins below even PLA[6][22]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity[22]No special storage needed[6]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa34.9 (ABS Pro) and 35.7 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]12 at yield (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[4]
Young's modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2320 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]724 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D638; converted from 105,000 psi)[23]
Elongation at break%6.7 (ABS Max) and 7.3 (ABS Pro) at break, printed XY, ISO 527[1][2]Above 600 at break (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[4]
Flexural strengthMPa60.1 (ABS Pro) and 63.3 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]31.0 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4500 psi)[23]
Flexural modulusMPa2330 (ABS Pro) and 2500 (ABS Max) printed XY, ISO 178[1][2]402 flexural modulus (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D790) — an order of magnitude below any rigid filament[4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²10.5 (ABS Max) and 14.5 (ABS Pro) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[1][2]Not documented
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 112 J/m on extruded PP stock, converted from 2.1 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[23]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21.9 (ABS Pro) and 25.4 (ABS Max) printed Z, ISO 527[1][2]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2]Very ductile — bends far before failing[4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded PP stock (ASTM D785)[23]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no creep test found; Tg of 115 °C (ABS Pro) and 126 °C (ABS Max) keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][2]Below average[4]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — no S-N curve found; 6.7–7.3 % elongation and 10.5–14.5 kJ/m² notched Charpy, below unfilled Bambu Lab ABS[1][2][24]Excellent — living hinges viable, the classic polypropylene application[4]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[4]
Z strength as % of XY%63 (ABS Pro) and 71 (ABS Max), printed[1][2]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C106.4 (ABS Pro) and 118.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]74 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 165 °F)[23]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C101.4 (ABS Pro) and 113.1 (ABS Max), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C114.9 (ABS Pro) and 126.3 (ABS Max), DSC[1][2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 116.1 (ABS Pro) and 127.4 (ABS Max), ISO 306[1][2]205 ± 15 melting (Formfutura Centaur PP)[4]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documentedBounded by a melting point of 205 ± 15 °C and by the 158 °C heat deflection of the carbon-filled grade; no loaded-bar service figure is published for unfilled PP[4][6]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K86–89 for printed unfilled ABS (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[25]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[6]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement[20]Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polypropylene chalks under UV[5]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, weak alkalis, oils and grease; dissolved by acetone[3]Excellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents — the usual reason to choose PP[5]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[6]
Food contactNot food safe — Polymaker cites potential chemical leaching[20]Polypropylene is a common food-packaging polymer, but no filament here carries a food-contact certification[5]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[20]Not biodegradable[5]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[20]Mechanically recyclable as resin code 5, but printed waste is not accepted in household collection[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[26][15]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission. Inferred: no polyolefin was among the nine filaments in the Azimi chamber study, so this is a family-level judgement rather than a measurement[26]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the dominant VOC from every ABS and HIPS combination tested[26]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[26]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[26][15]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration — an enclosure alone cut measured UFP by only about 35 %[26][15]Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[26]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands well and takes filler before painting[20]Sands poorly — the waxy surface loads abrasive paper[16]
Painting & finishingPaints readily after light abrasion[20]Paint and adhesives do not key to untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is normally needed first[5]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedNothing common bonds untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is needed before adhesives key[5]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone vapour smoothing works[3]No practical vapour smoothing[16]
Support material pairingHIPS breaks away or dissolves in d-limonene; Bambu Lab sells a dedicated Support for ABS[27][15]Prints its own supports; no soluble support is rated for PP[16]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedShrinkage and warping dominate; the low modulus means parts flex rather than hold tolerance[6]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone dissolves it — the basis of ABS slurry; so do MEK, THF, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and toluene.[28][3]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves it at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C — the xylene-solubles route.[29][30]
Softened or crazed byPetrol and perchloroethylene soften it and benzene attacks it; d-limonene disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades.[28][31]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone: about 20 min of vapour at 80 °C over 5 mm of liquid. Prusa measured layer adhesion more than doubled.[32]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[29]

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. Polymaker ABS Pro Technical Data Sheet V1 (2026-05-29) Polymaker · 2026-05 · tds
  2. Polymaker ABS Max Technical Data Sheet V1.1 (2026-06-01) Polymaker · 2026-06 · tds
  3. PolyLite ABS Technical Data Sheet (V5.5 served at this URL) Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  6. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. SUNLU product catalogue SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Fiberlogy PP Natural — product page 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Reli3D Low Warp PP Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI 3D PP 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. SUNLU E-ABS (Easy ABS) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. YXPOLYER ABS Enhanced product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. PP filament listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Prusament PP Glass Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  20. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — ABS Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  26. 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
  27. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  30. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  31. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc