3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

BVOH vs rPETG

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

BVOH (soluble support) guideRecycled PETG (rPETG) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore BVOH comparisonsMore rPETG comparisons
BVOH vs rPETG — documented properties and sources
PropertyBVOH (soluble support)SUPPORTRecycled PETG (rPETG)PETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$165.72/kg median; $165.72–$165.72/kg across 1 dated product listings$28.99/kg median; $17.24–$39.98/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]PETG regranulated from recycled polyester waste; Polymaker's Fiberon PETG-rCF08 adds 8 wt% recycled carbon fibre[2][3][4]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.27 (Prusament) and 1.30 (Fiberon PETG-rCF08), ISO 1183[2][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 166[1]1 kg spools cluster near 29[5][6][7][8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg166 at Fiberlogy's 500 g pricing on 3DJake[1]17–40 across brands; Filament PM RePETG 17, 3DXTech ECOMAX 26, GreenGate3D 32, Fiberon rCF08 40[5][6][7][8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[1]Available from several mainstream brands[5][6][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 kg spools[1]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 1 and 3 kg spools[7][6]
Typical applicationsDissolvable support where PVA dissolves too slowly, and for materials PVA bonds to poorly[1]Not documented
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.05 (Prusament PETG Recycled), against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PETG[2][9]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented250 ± 10 (Prusament); 230–255 (Spectrum)[2][3]
Bed temperature°CNot documented80 ± 10 (Prusament); 60–80 (Spectrum)[2][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[10]Open frame is fine — Spectrum states a closed chamber is not necessary[3]
Part cooling fanNot documented50 % (Prusament); up to 100 % (Spectrum)[2][3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[9][11]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[9][11]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[11]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[12]Easy — minor profile tuning; Spectrum describes printing as similar to standard PETG[3]
Extruder requirementA second extruder or a tool changer[10]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[10]Brass fine indefinitely[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[10]Not documented
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[12]Low — recycled PETG prints on the same hardware as virgin PETG: no special hot-end, no drybox and no hardened nozzle[13][14]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[13]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[13]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — the vinyl alcohol backbone is what makes it soluble[12][10]Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — recycled PETG shares the virgin matrix, which reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[9]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.07 after 24 h and 0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[2]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[12]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[12]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[12]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant at all times[12]Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[12][11]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented43 ± 1.8 printed horizontal at yield, ISO 527-1 (Prusament), against 47 ± 2 for virgin Prusament PETG; Spectrum quotes 52 at yield on moulded specimens[2][9][3]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented1500 printed horizontal, 1600 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 527-1) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG[2][9]
Elongation at break%Not documented4.5 at yield printed (Prusament); Spectrum quotes 400 at break on moulded specimens[2][3]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented63 ± 1 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament), against 66 ± 2 for virgin Prusament PETG[2][9]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented1800 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament)[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented12 ± 1 printed horizontal and 15 ± 3 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament)[2]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 25 ± 3 printed horizontal and 38 ± 11 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1)[2]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented15 ± 5 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test), against 18 ± 4 for virgin Prusament PETG[2][9]
Brittleness1–5Not documentedModerate[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented74 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG[2][9]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedBelow average — no recycled-grade creep test; virgin PETG sagged from 12 to 17.1–20.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[15][16][17][18]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — no recycled-grade S-N curve; virgin printed PETG ran 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[19]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedSlightly flexible in thin sections[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented68 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PETG; Spectrum quotes 70[2][9][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented68 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard grades[20]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[11]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Dissolves or disintegrates — by design[1]Not documented
Food contactNot documentedNot certified for food contact as filament[11]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[11]
RecyclabilityNot documentedThe feedstock itself — Spectrum describes collecting, shredding and re-homogenising PETG waste[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[21]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[21]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[21]Open a window / occasional ventilation[21]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[13]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[13]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[13]
Support material pairingThis is the support material[1]Prints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[13]
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.[22][1]No common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[23][24]
Softened or crazed byNothing else — a vinyl alcohol copolymer resists organic solvents, so IPA or acetone will not touch it.[25]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[23]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — water is a removal solvent, not a welding one.[22]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[24]

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. Prusament PETG Recycled Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Spectrum r-PETG Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Fiberon PETG-rCF08 Technical Data Sheet V1.0 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. GreenGate3D Recycled PET-G — product data GreenGate3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Filament PM RePETG technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  9. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  10. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  11. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  16. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  17. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  20. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  21. 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
  22. Water soluble (BVOH/PVA) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds