3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

BVOH vs PC-FR

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

BVOH (soluble support) guideFlame-retardant PC (PC-FR) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore BVOH comparisonsMore PC-FR comparisons
BVOH vs PC-FR — documented properties and sources
PropertyBVOH (soluble support)SUPPORTFlame-retardant PC (PC-FR)PC
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$165.72/kg median; $165.72–$165.72/kg across 1 dated product listings$87.50/kg median; $54.99–$224.00/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryButenediol vinyl alcohol copolymer — a vinyl alcohol copolymer that dissolves faster and in cooler water than straight PVA[1]Flame-retardant polycarbonate. Polymaker builds its grade on Covestro's Makrolon family and rates it UL 94 V-0[2][3]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.18 (Bambu Lab) and 1.2 (Polymaker), ISO 1183[3][2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 166[1]1 kg-equivalent spools span 55–224; the two mainstream 1 kg grades are 55 and the industrial grades 120–224[3][4]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg166 at Fiberlogy's 500 g pricing on 3DJake[1]55–224 across brands; Bambu Lab and Polymaker 55, 3DXTech FR PC/ABS 120, 3DXLABS FR-PC 224[3][4][5]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[1]Available from several mainstream brands[3][4][5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 kg spools[1]1.75 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[4][5][3]
Typical applicationsDissolvable support where PVA dissolves too slowly, and for materials PVA bonds to poorly[1]Electrical enclosures, transport interiors and battery housings that must meet a flammability rating[2][3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab PC FR)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented260–280 (Bambu Lab); 250–270 (Polymaker)[3][2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented90–110 (Bambu Lab); 90–105 (Polymaker)[3][2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[6]Enclosure required (passive) — Bambu Lab specifies a 45–60 °C chamber, Polymaker 70–100 °C[3][2]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented45–60 (Bambu Lab); 70–100 (Polymaker)[3][2]
Part cooling fanNot documented0–60 % (Bambu Lab)[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedSmooth or textured PEI plate (Bambu Lab)[3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented24 at Bambu Lab's 300 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3][7]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedSevere — heated chamber needed[2][8]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds a specific surface plus adhesive[9][10]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[10]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[11]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[3][8]
Extruder requirementA second extruder or a tool changer[6]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[6]Brass fine indefinitely[8]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[6]Non-abrasive[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[11]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 6 h pre-dry at 80 °C[12]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[9]
Hotend requirementNot documentedAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[9]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — the vinyl alcohol backbone is what makes it soluble[11][6]Low (0.1–0.3 %) — 0.12 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab), half that of unfilled Bambu Lab PC[3][13]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.12 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[3]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented75 °C for 6 h (Polymaker)[2]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[11]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[11]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic and requires a 70–80 °C dry for 6–8 h; run wet, the loss shows as surface defects and poor layer adhesion[10][11]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant at all times[11]Airtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[10]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented60 ± 4 (Bambu Lab) and 67 ± 4.5 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[3][2]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented1670 ± 40 (Bambu Lab) and 2634 ± 182 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527[3][2]
Elongation at break%Not documented2.4 ± 0.3 (Bambu Lab) and 3.49 ± 0.7 (Polymaker) at break, printed XY, ISO 527 — the retardant roughly halves unfilled PC's elongation[3][2][14]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented96.6 ± 1.3 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[2]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented2518 ± 53 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented11.7 ± 1.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Polymaker)[2]
Other impact dataNot documentedNotched Charpy 7.5 ± 1.6 kJ/m² at −30 °C printed XY (Polymaker, ISO 179-1/1eA)[2]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented21 ± 3 (Bambu Lab) and 46 ± 4.8 (Polymaker) printed Z, ISO 527[3][2]
Brittleness1–5Not documentedModerate[3][2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell 70 (118) — the source does not name the scales and Shore D 79 on extruded unfilled PC stock (ASTM D785, D2240); no figure is published for a flame-retardant filament[15]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedGood. Moulded unfilled PC sustained 41 MPa tensile creep at room temperature without breaking, but the retardant package drops the glass transition to 115 °C in Polymaker's grade, so the unfilled rating is not carried over in full[16][2]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedRigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented35 (Bambu Lab) to 69 (Polymaker), printed[3][2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented110 (Polymaker) and 113 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[2][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented107 (Polymaker) and 108 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[2][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented115 (Polymaker) and 145 (Bambu Lab), DSC[2][3]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 114 (Bambu Lab, ISO 306)[3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[17]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented68.4 on extruded unfilled PC stock (ASTM D696; source states 3.8e-5 in/in/°F); no figure is published for a flame-retardant grade[15]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 (Polymaker PolyMax PC-FR); 3DXTech rates its FR PC/ABS V-0 at 1.5 mm on the base resin[2][18]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[10]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[10]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Dissolves or disintegrates — by design[1]Not documented
Food contactNot documentedBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[10]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[10]
RecyclabilityNot documentedMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[10]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[19]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[19]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[19]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[19]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[19][8]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[9]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[9]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[9]
Support material pairingThis is the support material[1]Prints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[9]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inWater: about 1 g of BVOH per 20 g of water, several hours; warmer water is faster but must not be too hot.[20][1]Dichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[21]
Softened or crazed byNothing else — a vinyl alcohol copolymer resists organic solvents, so IPA or acetone will not touch it.[22]Methanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[21]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — water is a removal solvent, not a welding one.[20]Dichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[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. Fiberlogy BVOH Natural — product page 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  2. PolyMax PC-FR Technical Data Sheet V5.5 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PC FR Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  7. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  8. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  9. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. 3DXTech Firewire FR-PC/ABS product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  14. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  15. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  16. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  17. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  18. Firewire Flame Retardant PC/ABS Technical Data Sheet Rev 3.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  19. 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
  20. Water soluble (BVOH/PVA) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  22. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds