3D Printing InfoFilament comparison
Conductive vs PMMA
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | Conductive filamentSPECIALTY | PMMA (acrylic)ENGINEERING |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $170.36/kg median; $89.99–$796.00/kg across 4 dated product listings | $49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/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] | Poly(methyl methacrylate) — acrylic, sold for 3D printing as a transparent glass substitute[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 50[9] |
| 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] | 50 at Push Plastic's 1 kg listing; 3 kg spools run the same per kilogram[9] |
| Market availability1–5 | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][2] | Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[9] |
| 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; 1 and 3 kg spools[9] |
| Typical applications | Capacitive touch surfaces, low-current traces, EMI shielding and static-safe fixtures[1] | Transparent covers and light guides where PC's yellowing or cost rules it out[5] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Open frame is fine[1] | Not documented |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[1] | Not documented |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1] | Not documented |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1] | Not documented |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Low — Proto-pasta states the carbon-filled grade prints on standard PLA settings with no special nozzle required[1] | Not documented |
| 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] | Not documented |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Brittleness1–5 | Brittle — snaps with little warning; carbon-black loading at conductive levels embrittles PLA[1] | Not documented |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Not documented |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| Electrical & ESD properties | Conductive rather than dissipative — Proto-pasta sells the grade as electrically conductive composite PLA[1] | Not documented |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[11] | Not documented |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Open a window / occasional ventilation[11] | Not documented |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Conductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1] | Not documented |
| 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] | Acetone, MEK, ethyl and butyl acetate, THF, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride dissolve it; the last two are laboratory reagents.[14] |
| 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] | Alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, oils and phthalate plasticisers craze it, and the threshold falls as stress rises.[14] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — neither PLA nor TPU has a workshop-safe welding or smoothing solvent.[12][13] | Dichloromethane acrylic cement (IPS Weld-On 3): 2–5 min soak, 17.2 MPa lap shear at one week. Controlled carcinogen.[15] |
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
- PMMA Filament 1.75mm 1kg — product page Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
- 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
- Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
- 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
- Chemical resistance of PMMA products Mitsubishi Chemical (Acrypet) · 2026-08 · tds
- Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds