3D Printing InfoFilament comparison
Conductive vs Magnetic
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | Conductive filamentSPECIALTY | Magnetic filamentSPECIALTY |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $170.36/kg median; $89.99–$796.00/kg across 4 dated product listings | $64.99/kg median; $64.99–$64.99/kg across 1 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | A carbon-filled compound conductive by volume rather than merely dissipative; Proto-pasta's is PLA-based, Recreus's and NinjaTek's are TPU, and add:north's Koltron G1 does not state its base polymer[1][2][3][4] | PLA loaded with ferromagnetic iron powder, so printed parts respond to magnets[5] |
| Densityg/cm³ | Not documented | About 1.85 (Proto-pasta manufacturer figure) — 1.5× standard PLA[5] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg-equivalent spools span 90–181 for the carbon-filled grades; add:north's Koltron G1 sits far above at 796 because it is sold only in 100 and 250 g coils[6][7][8] | 1 kg spools cluster near 65[6] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 90–796 across brands; Proto-pasta conductive PLA 90 at 1 kg, Recreus Conductive Filaflex 160 at 500 g, NinjaTek Eel 181 at 1 kg, add:north Koltron G1 796 at 250 g[6][2][7][8] | 64–70 across formats; 1 kg spool 65, 500 g 70, 2 kg 70[6] |
| Market availability1–5 | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][2] | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[6][2][7][8] | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[6] |
| Typical applications | Capacitive touch surfaces, low-current traces, EMI shielding and static-safe fixtures[1] | Sensor targets, magnetic fixtures, and props that need to stick to a magnet or rust deliberately[5] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | Not documented | 192 (Proto-pasta)[5] |
| Bed temperature°C | Not documented | 60 (Proto-pasta)[5] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Open frame is fine[1] | Open frame is fine[5] |
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s | Not documented | 1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[5] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[1] | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; slow, and brittle in filament form[5] |
| Extruder requirement | Not documented | Proto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[5] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1] | Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[5] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1] | Moderately abrasive — metal fill[5] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Low — Proto-pasta states the carbon-filled grade prints on standard PLA settings with no special nozzle required[1] | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists metal-filled composites as a higher clogging risk and recommends a 0.6 mm nozzle minimum[9] |
| Hotend requirement | Not documented | Proto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[5] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Effect of moisture on strength | Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[10] | Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[10] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Brittleness1–5 | Brittle — snaps with little warning; carbon-black loading at conductive levels embrittles PLA[1] | Brittle — Proto-pasta describes the filament as more brittle than standard PLA and needing extra care in handling[5] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Rigid[5] |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| Outdoor durability | Not documented | Deliberately rustable — Proto-pasta markets the iron content as oxidising when exposed to moisture[5] |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Conductive rather than dissipative — Proto-pasta sells the grade as electrically conductive composite PLA[1] | Ferromagnetic: Proto-pasta states it responds to magnets and behaves similarly to pure iron[5] |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[11] | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[11] |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Open a window / occasional ventilation[11] | Open a window / occasional ventilation[11] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Conductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1] | Not documented |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Not documented | Polishing and deliberate rusting are the intended finishes[5] |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Chloroform dissolves PLA-based grades, leaving the carbon black; TPU-based grades need DMF, NMP or THF. Laboratory reagents.[12][13] | Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix and leaves the iron powder behind; laboratory reagent, not workshop stock.[12][5] |
| Softened or crazed by | Acetone and ethyl acetate plasticise a PLA-based grade; a TPU-based grade swells in toluene, esters and alcohols.[12][13] | Acetone and ethyl acetate plasticise the matrix rather than dissolving it; water attacks the exposed iron.[12][5] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — neither PLA nor TPU has a workshop-safe welding or smoothing solvent.[12][13] | None — PLA has no workshop-safe solvent, and the iron loading blocks the surface flow smoothing needs.[12] |
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
- Electrically Conductive Composite PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
- Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
- Eel 3D Printing Filament Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
- Koltron G1 Technical Data Sheet add:north · 2026-08 · tds
- Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
- Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
- Eel product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
- add:north Koltron G1 product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
- Composite materials with metal or wood particles Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- 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
- Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
- Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds