3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

Conductive vs PETG

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

Conductive filament guidePETG guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Conductive comparisonsMore PETG comparisons
Conductive vs PETG — documented properties and sources
PropertyConductive filamentSPECIALTYPETGPETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$170.36/kg median; $89.99–$796.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryA 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]Polyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[5][6]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[5][6][7][8]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 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[9][10][11]1 kg spools cluster near 20[12][13][14]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg90–796 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[9][2][10][11]12–70 across brands; IEMAI 12, ELEGOO 14, CHCKX 14, Bambu Lab 18–20, Hatchbox 26, Prusament 38, Prusament PETG V0 70[12][13][15][14][16][17]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[9][2]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[12][13][18][14]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[9][2][10][11]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[13][14]
Typical applicationsCapacitive touch surfaces, low-current traces, EMI shielding and static-safe fixtures[1]Functional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[5][6]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament)[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented230–260 across brands; Prusament 250 ± 10, Polymaker 240–260[5][6][8]
Bed temperature°CNot documented60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[5][8]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[8]
Part cooling fanNot documentedAround 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[5][8]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets. On smooth PEI a glue stick is used as a release agent, not an adhesive — PETG bonds to bare PEI hard enough to tear the sheet[5][8]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented8–15 (PrusaSlicer guidance); My Tech Fun ran Bambu Lab PETG Basic at 13 mm³/s[19][20]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — corner lift on large flat parts[5][8]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedNeeds the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[5]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed[5][8]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[1]Easy — minor profile tuning[8]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1]Brass fine indefinitely[19]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Non-abrasive[8]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — Proto-pasta states the carbon-filled grade prints on standard PLA settings with no special nozzle required[1]Low — no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle[21][22]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[21]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[21]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate (0.3–0.8 %) — Bambu Lab reports 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; Prusa measures only 0.07 % in 24 h and 0.10 % in 7 days at the drier 22 % RH[5][23]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers); 0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[5][23]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60–65 °C for 6–8 h[8][23]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[5]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[24]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic and shows a before-and-after-drying comparison; the loss appears as poor layer adhesion and weak, brittle layers rather than a published dry-versus-conditioned figure[24]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[24][25]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented38–51 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 47 ± 2 at yield; 62 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[5][6][7][26]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented1500–2311 (printed XY, ISO 527)[5][6][7][8]
Elongation at break%Not documented5.2–9.3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 5.1 at yield[6][7][8][5]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented58–80 (printed XY, ISO 178); Prusament 66 ± 2[5][6][7][8]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented1068–2277 (printed XY, ISO 178)[5][6][7][8]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented2.6 (PolyLite) to 11.6 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 6 ± 1[6][7][5]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched does not break on Prusa's 4 J pendulum (ISO 179-1); Izod 3.37 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars[5][26]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented18 ± 4 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 42.8 printed Z for PolyLite PETG; 33 on My Tech Fun bars[5][6][26]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; carbon-black loading at conductive levels embrittles PLA[1]Moderate[5][6]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented74 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method); measured on printed bars at 68.2 for Extrudr PETG, 72 for Fiberlogy PETG and 72.8 for Prusament PETG[5][26][27][28]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedBelow average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 18.2 mm (Fiberlogy) and 19.4 mm (Bambu Lab Basic) over 5 days at 1.25 kg[26][20]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, about three times printed PLA (R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[29]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[5]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented84 (PolyLite, printed Z against XY tensile)[6]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented68 (Prusament) to 78 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[5][6][8]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[5][6][8]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented71–81 (DSC)[6][7][8]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 75–84 (ISO 306)[6][7][8]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented61–66 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across six grades from four brands; Prusa publishes 68 for Prusament PETG[26][27][28][20][30]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[31]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[32][25]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — a season or two[5]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[25]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — minor absorption[5]
Food contactNot documentedPET is the polymer of drinks bottles, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria and no filament here carries a food-contact certification[25]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[25]
RecyclabilityNot documentedPET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[25]
Electrical & ESD propertiesConductive rather than dissipative — Proto-pasta sells the grade as electrically conductive composite PLA[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[33]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[33]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈5 × 10⁹ median for the PET-based T-Glase filament in the same chamber study, against ≈1 × 10⁸ for PLA[33]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[33]Open a window / occasional ventilation[33]
Dust & fibre handling hazardConductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[21]
Painting & finishingNot documentedPaint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[5]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[21]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[5]
Support material pairingNot documentedPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[21]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedStringing and blobbing are the usual accuracy limits, not shrinkage[5][8]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves PLA-based grades, leaving the carbon black; TPU-based grades need DMF, NMP or THF. Laboratory reagents.[34][35]No common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[36][37]
Softened or crazed byAcetone and ethyl acetate plasticise a PLA-based grade; a TPU-based grade swells in toluene, esters and alcohols.[34][35]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[36]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — neither PLA nor TPU has a workshop-safe welding or smoothing solvent.[34][35]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[37]

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. Electrically Conductive Composite PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. Eel 3D Printing Filament Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Koltron G1 Technical Data Sheet add:north · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  6. PolyLite PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  7. PolyMax PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  8. Polymaker PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  9. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Eel product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. add:north Koltron G1 product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PETG Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Black PETG Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg — product data Hatchbox · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. IEMAI PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. CHCKX PETG 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg, Black CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  30. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Effects of Fiber Orientation on the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Fiber-Filled Polymer Systems in Large Format Polymer Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Materials 15(8):2764 · 2022-04 · paper
  32. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  33. 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
  34. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  35. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  37. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc