3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

Conductive vs PLA+

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

Conductive filament guidePLA+ / Tough PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Conductive comparisonsMore PLA+ comparisons
Conductive vs PLA+ — documented properties and sources
PropertyConductive filamentSPECIALTYPLA+ / Tough PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$170.36/kg median; $89.99–$796.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 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]PLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[5][6]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[5][6]
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[7][8][9]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[10][11]
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[7][2][8][9]10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[12][11][13][14][15]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][2]Stocked by most mainstream brands[12][10][11][13][14]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[7][2][8][9]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[13][14][12]
Typical applicationsCapacitive touch surfaces, low-current traces, EMI shielding and static-safe fixtures[1]Functional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[5][6]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[16]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[5][6]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[5][6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[5][6]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on[5][6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedTextured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[5][6]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[5]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to anything[17]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[5][17]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[1]Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[5][6]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1]Brass fine indefinitely[18]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Non-abrasive[19][18]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — Proto-pasta states the carbon-filled grade prints on standard PLA settings with no special nozzle required[1]Very low[18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[20]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[17]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedLow — 0.27 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[6]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.27 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab Tough+)[6]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 6–8 h; 65–75 °C for 12 h on a Bambu Lab X1 heatbed[5][6]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[21]
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[21]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for the modified grades; the loss shows as poor layer adhesion rather than a strength number[21]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[6][17]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented35–43 (printed XY, ISO 527); 53 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars for Bambu Lab Tough[5][6][22][23]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[5][6][24][25]
Elongation at break%Not documented5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[5][6]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[5][6][26][25]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented2140–2393 (printed XY, ISO 178)[5][6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented38.9–72.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched) — 5–9× plain PLA[5][6]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 80.6 printed XY (Bambu Lab Tough+); CNC Kitchen measured ~20 vs 5 kJ/m² for PolyLite PLA[6][22]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented20.9–32.4 printed Z (ISO 527); 33.0 on My Tech Fun layer-adhesion bars vs 27.6 for PLA Basic[5][6][23]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; carbon-black loading at conductive levels embrittles PLA[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[5][6][22]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented78.8 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's plain PLA[27]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — 12 mm bar sagged to 20.2 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, the same as plain PLA[23][28]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedBelow average — impact modifiers raise absorbed energy 5–9×; plain PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[29][6][22]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[5]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented60 (Bambu Lab Tough+) to 78 (PolyMax PLA), printed[5][6]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented55 (PolyMax) to 61 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[5][6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[5][6]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented61 (DSC)[5][6]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented149–151 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 62 (ISO 306)[5][6]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented48–57 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature: 48 for Polymaker PLA Pro, 50 for Sunlu PLA+, 52 for Bambu Lab Tough, 57 for PolyTerra PLA+[23][30][27][28]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[31]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[6][5]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[20][32]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[5][6]
Food contactNot documentedBase resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[20]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[33][20]
RecyclabilityNot documentedMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[33]
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[34]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[34]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[34]None needed in a normal room[34]
Dust & fibre handling hazardConductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[32][20]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[20][35]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[20]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[5][6]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documented55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges (Bambu Lab Tough+)[6]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves PLA-based grades, leaving the carbon black; TPU-based grades need DMF, NMP or THF. Laboratory reagents.[36][37]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[36]
Softened or crazed byAcetone and ethyl acetate plasticise a PLA-based grade; a TPU-based grade swells in toluene, esters and alcohols.[36][37]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[36][38]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — neither PLA nor TPU has a workshop-safe welding or smoothing solvent.[36][37]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[39][38]

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. PolyMax PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Tough+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Eel product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. add:north Koltron G1 product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. The difference of PLA and PLA+ tested! (feat. Polymaker) CNC Kitchen · 2020-08 · test
  23. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  25. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  26. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — 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. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  32. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  33. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  34. 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
  35. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  36. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  37. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  38. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  39. 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