3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

BVOH vs PEEK-CF

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

BVOH (soluble support) guideFibre-reinforced PEEK guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore BVOH comparisonsMore PEEK-CF comparisons
BVOH vs PEEK-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyBVOH (soluble support)SUPPORTFibre-reinforced PEEKHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$165.72/kg median; $165.72–$165.72/kg across 1 dated product listings$597.50/kg median; $448.00–$695.00/kg across 5 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]Short-fibre reinforced PEEK. 3DXTech's CarbonX grade is nominally 10 wt% carbon and its FibreX grade 20 wt% glass; LEHVOSS Luvocom 3F PEEK CF 9676 is 15 wt% carbon; Ensinger's machining stock runs to 30 wt% carbon[2][3][4][5]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.39 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 166[1]1 kg-equivalent spools span 448–972; the middle of the market is about 598[3][4][6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg166 at Fiberlogy's 500 g pricing on 3DJake[1]448-972 across formats and filler types; IEMAI 3D CF-PEEK and GF-PEEK 448 at 1 kg, 3DXTech CarbonX PEEK+CF10 598 at 2 kg and FibreX PEEK+GF20 695 at 1 kg, Luvocom 3F PEEK CF 9676 648 at 2 kg[3][4][6][7]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[1]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 kg spools[1]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 2 kg spools[3][4]
Typical applicationsDissolvable support where PVA dissolves too slowly, and for materials PVA bonds to poorly[1]Stiff aerospace and oil-and-gas parts where PEEK alone is not rigid enough[2]
Printing Parameters
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[8]Actively heated chamber required[9][10]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield; the fibre cuts PEEK's crystallisation shrinkage[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[11]Expert / industrial hardware only[9][10]
Extruder requirementA second extruder or a tool changer[8]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[8]Hardened steel required[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[8]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[11]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; 3DXTech adds a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers to the mandatory 120 °C pre-dry[12][13]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — the vinyl alcohol backbone is what makes it soluble[11][8]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.06 in 24 h on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D570)[5]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[11]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 at all times[11]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented105 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10); 121 at yield on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[2][5]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented8100 (printed XY, ISO 527, CF10) — more than double unfilled PEEK; 6343 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D638)[2][5]
Elongation at break%Not documented3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527), against 28 for unfilled PEEK[2][14]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented136 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 193 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[2][5]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented8300 (printed XY, ISO 178, CF10); 7171 on extruded CF30 stock (ASTM D790)[2][5]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 61.9 J/m on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 1.16 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[5]
Brittleness1–5Not documentedBrittle — snaps with little warning; elongation falls from 28 % to 3 %[2][14]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M107 on extruded PEEK-CF30 stock (ASTM D785), against M100 unfilled[5][15]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedExcellent — holds load for years. Ensinger rates carbon-fibre PEEK stock as very highly creep resistant and specifies 260 °C continuous service[5]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedGood. Victrex rates PEEK for long-term fatigue as well as creep; the fibre cuts elongation at break from 28 % to 3 %, which limits repeated large-strain flexing[16][2][14]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedRigid[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented265 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, CarbonX PEEK+CF10) against 140 for unfilled PEEK[2][14]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented316 on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 600 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[5]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented143 (DSC, CarbonX PEEK+CF10) — the fibre does not move the glass transition[2]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented334 melting on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 633 °F[5]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented260 long-term on extruded CF30 stock, converted from 500 °F; 300 short term[5]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented14.4 (extruded PEEK-CF30 stock, ASTM D696; source states 0.80e-5 in/in/°F) — about a third of unfilled PEEK[5][15]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 on the base resin; Ensinger lists extruded PEEK-CF30 stock as inherently flame resistant[14][5]
Environment & Chemical
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Dissolves or disintegrates — by design[1]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (ASTM D257)[2]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[17]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[17]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[17]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[17]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]
Post-Processing
Support material pairingThis is the support material[1]Not documented
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.[18][1]95–98 wt% sulphuric acid dissolves the matrix at 40–70 °C and leaves the fibre. Nothing else touches PEEK.[19][20]
Softened or crazed byNothing else — a vinyl alcohol copolymer resists organic solvents, so IPA or acetone will not touch it.[21]Concentrated nitric, hydrofluoric, hydrobromic and hydriodic acids attack it; DCM, DMSO and THF swell thin-walled sections.[22][20]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — water is a removal solvent, not a welding one.[18]None — no solvent softens PEEK, so parts are joined thermally or mechanically, never chemically.[22][20]

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. CarbonX Carbon Fiber PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. TECAPEEK CF30 black (PEEK-CF30) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  6. IEMAI 3D CF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D GF-PEEK 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  9. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  10. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. CARBONX PEEK+CF10 — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. ThermaX PEEK Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  15. TECAPEEK natural (PEEK) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  16. PEEK polymers — product overview Victrex · 2026-08 · doc
  17. 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
  18. Water soluble (BVOH/PVA) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  19. The Effects of Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone) Ion Exchange Preparation Conditions on Membrane Properties Yee, Zhang & Ladewig, Membranes 3(3) 182–195 · 2013-07 · paper
  20. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds
  22. What solvents are not compatible with PEEK? — fluidics technical FAQ IDEX Health & Science · 2026-08 · doc