3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

BVOH vs PLA

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

BVOH (soluble support) guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore BVOH comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
BVOH vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyBVOH (soluble support)SUPPORTPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$165.72/kg median; $165.72–$165.72/kg across 1 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 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]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[2][3]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[2][4][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 166[1]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[5][6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg166 at Fiberlogy's 500 g pricing on 3DJake[1]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[8][9][10][11]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[1]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[12][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 kg spools[1]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[5][14][15][10][16]
Typical applicationsDissolvable support where PVA dissolves too slowly, and for materials PVA bonds to poorly[1]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[17]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[2][5][18]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[2][4][3]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[2][4][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[19]Open frame is fine[4][12]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[2][13]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedSmooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[4][20][13]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[21]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[22][12]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[4][3][13]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[4][13][23]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[24]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[12][13]
Extruder requirementA second extruder or a tool changer[19]Any extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[12]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[19]Brass fine indefinitely[12]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[19]Non-abrasive[22][12]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very high — frequent jams without careful setup[24]Very low[12][13]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[20][25]
Hotend requirementNot documentedAny standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[12]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[22][12]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — the vinyl alcohol backbone is what makes it soluble[24][19]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[3][4][26]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[3][4]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[4][3][25]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[24]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[24]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — it absorbs moisture slowly and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[24]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant at all times[24]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[3][13]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented35–52 (printed XY, ISO 527); 55 mean across 16 brands and 53 for the reference PLA in a later run, both on 4×4 mm printed bars[2][4][3][27][28]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][4][3]
Elongation at break%Not documented6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[4][3][2]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][29]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][29]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[4][3]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[2][3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[2][3][28]
Brittleness1–5Not documentedBrittle — snaps with little warning[20][22]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[2][30]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[31][32]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedPoor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[33][20]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedRigid[22]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[4][3][28]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2][4][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2][4][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented55–61 (DSC)[2][4][3]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[17][4][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[22][28]
Annealing responseNot documentedBambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[3][34]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[35]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[3][4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[20][17]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[17][20]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[4][20]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Dissolves or disintegrates — by design[1]Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[3][36]
Food contactNot documentedBase resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[20][36]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[36][20][3]
RecyclabilityNot documentedMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[36]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[37]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[37]
VOC emission rateµg/minNot documented4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[37]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[37]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[37]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[37]None needed in a normal room[37]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[17][20]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[20][18]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[20]
Support material pairingThis is the support material[1]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4][3]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[22][3][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.[38][1]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[39]
Softened or crazed byNothing else — a vinyl alcohol copolymer resists organic solvents, so IPA or acetone will not touch it.[40]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[39][41]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — water is a removal solvent, not a welding one.[38]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[42][41]

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 PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  18. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  20. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  27. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  28. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  30. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  34. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  35. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  36. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  37. 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
  38. Water soluble (BVOH/PVA) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  39. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  40. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds
  41. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  42. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper