3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

Conductive vs rPLA

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

Conductive filament guideRecycled PLA (rPLA) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Conductive comparisonsMore rPLA comparisons
Conductive vs rPLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyConductive filamentSPECIALTYRecycled PLA (rPLA)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$170.36/kg median; $89.99–$796.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$20.79/kg median; $16.05–$40.64/kg across 8 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 regranulated from post-industrial PLA manufacturing waste; post-consumer feedstock is rare[5][6][7]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.24 (ISO 1183)[5]
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[8][9][10]1 kg spools run 20–22[11][12][13]
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[8][2][9][10]16–41 across brands; Fiberlogy refill 16, Filamentive 750 g 41[14][15]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[8][2]Available from several mainstream brands[6][7][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[8][2][9][10]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[16][14][6]
Typical applicationsCapacitive touch surfaces, low-current traces, EMI shielding and static-safe fixtures[1]General-purpose printing where the feedstock's recycled content matters more than an exact colour match[6][7]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 guaranteed by Prusa Research today; the 2021 datasheet specified ±0.05, against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PLA[6][5][17]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented210 ± 10 (Prusament); 200 ± 15 (Filamentive)[5][7]
Bed temperature°CNot documented40–60 (Prusament); up to 60 (Filamentive)[5][7]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[5][18]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 %[5]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone — brim not generally needed[5]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to anything[19]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[1]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[5][18]
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[20][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; PLA softens below 60 °C[21]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required[19]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate — 0.3 % after both 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method), against 0.19 % in 7 days for virgin Prusament PLA[5][17]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.3 after 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method)[5]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[22]
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[22]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[22]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[23][19]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented49 printed horizontal and 55 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1, yield); virgin Prusament PLA gives 51 and 59 by the same method[5][17]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented2100 printed horizontal, 2300 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2300 and 2400[5][17]
Elongation at break%Not documented3.1 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2.9[5][17]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented82 printed horizontal, 87 printed vertical XZ (ISO 178); virgin Prusament PLA 83 and 99[5][17]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented3100 printed horizontal (ISO 178) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[5][17]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 14.0 printed horizontal (ISO 179-1); virgin Prusament PLA 13[5][17]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented21 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test); virgin Prusament PLA 17 ± 3 by the same test[5][17]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; carbon-black loading at conductive levels embrittles PLA[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[21][20]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented80 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); virgin Prusament PLA 81[5][17]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — no recycled-PLA creep data published; virgin PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[24][25]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedPoor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength (R = 0.2)[26][21]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[20]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[5][17]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa); virgin Prusament PLA 55[5][17]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented55 (Filamentive states heat resistance up to 55 °C)[7]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[27]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[23][28]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[21][29]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[28][21]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water[23]
Food contactNot documentedFilamentive certifies its rPLA to EN 71-3 and lists it food safe; printed layer grooves still harbour bacteria[7][21]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[7]
RecyclabilityNot documentedThe feedstock itself; Filamentive uses 50 % post-industrial content and runs a PLA take-back scheme[7][15]
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[30]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[30]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedPrusament rPLA Corn Pigment uses organic waste pigments such as red algae, which give a noticeable scent while printing[6]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[30]None needed in a normal room[30]
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[29][21]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedSuperglue for most joints; acetone works on some grades depending on additives and colour[6]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[21]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves PLA-based grades, leaving the carbon black; TPU-based grades need DMF, NMP or THF. Laboratory reagents.[31][32]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[31]
Softened or crazed byAcetone and ethyl acetate plasticise a PLA-based grade; a TPU-based grade swells in toluene, esters and alcohols.[31][32]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[31][33]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — neither PLA nor TPU has a workshop-safe welding or smoothing solvent.[31][32]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[34][33]

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 PLA Recycled Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2021-12 · tds
  6. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Eel product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. add:north Koltron G1 product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3D-Fuel ReFuel Recycled PLA 1kg 3D-Fuel · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Proto-pasta Black Recycled PLA 1kg Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Formfutura ReForm rPLA (White) 1kg Filament2Print · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Filamentive PLA (rPLA) 750 g CREATE Education · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Kimya PLA-R 750 g Crea3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  18. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  24. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  27. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  28. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  29. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  30. 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
  31. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  32. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  33. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  34. 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