3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

Conductive vs PSU

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

Conductive filament guidePSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Conductive comparisonsMore PSU comparisons
Conductive vs PSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyConductive filamentSPECIALTYPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$170.36/kg median; $89.99–$796.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$168.00/kg median; $168.00–$168.00/kg across 1 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]Polysulfone — the lowest-temperature and cheapest of the sulfone family[5]
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[6][7][8]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 250[9]
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[6][2][7][8]168-250 across formats; 250 g spool $42 (168/kg), 500 g $125 (250/kg) — 3DXTech is the only filament supplier found[9]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][2]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[6][2][7][8]1.75 mm; 250 g and 500 g spools[9]
Typical applicationsCapacitive touch surfaces, low-current traces, EMI shielding and static-safe fixtures[1]Transparent high-temperature housings, medical trays and hot-water fittings[5]
Printing Parameters
Bed temperature°CNot documented120–140 (3DXTech)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Actively heated chamber required[10][11]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[1]Expert / industrial hardware only[10][11]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[10]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[5]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — 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; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[12]
Moisture Behaviour
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.30 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[13]
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[14]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[12]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented52 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 81 at break on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[5][13]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented2100 (printed XY, ISO 527)[5]
Elongation at break%Not documented8 (printed XY, ISO 527) against 50 on extruded stock — nearly three times PPSU's printed 3 %[5][15][13]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented87 (printed XY, ISO 178)[5]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented2050 (printed XY, ISO 178)[5]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 69 J/m on extruded PSU stock, converted from 1.3 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[13]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; carbon-black loading at conductive levels embrittles PLA[1]Moderate[5]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M120 on extruded PSU stock (ASTM D785)[13]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedGood. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PSU stock, which is rated to 173 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa[13]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[5]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented172 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 181 on extruded stock, converted from 358 °F at 66 psi[5][13]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented174 on extruded PSU stock, converted from 345 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[13]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented187 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 185 on extruded stock (ASTM D3418), against 230 for PPSU[5][15][13]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented141 long-term service on extruded PSU stock, converted from 285 °F[13]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented55.8 (extruded PSU stock, ASTM D696; source states 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[13]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 on extruded PSU stock[13]
Environment & Chemical
Electrical & ESD propertiesConductive rather than dissipative — Proto-pasta sells the grade as electrically conductive composite PLA[1]Surface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — an insulator (IEC 60093)[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[16]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[16]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[16]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[16]
Dust & fibre handling hazardConductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves PLA-based grades, leaving the carbon black; TPU-based grades need DMF, NMP or THF. Laboratory reagents.[17][18]Chlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane, chloroform — dissolve polysulfone; ketones and esters attack it as well.[19][20]
Softened or crazed byAcetone and ethyl acetate plasticise a PLA-based grade; a TPU-based grade swells in toluene, esters and alcohols.[17][18]Acetone, MEK, ethyl acetate, benzene and toluene craze or stress-crack it; methanol and isopropanol only marginally.[20][19]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — neither PLA nor TPU has a workshop-safe welding or smoothing solvent.[17][18]Dichloromethane cement welds PSU and NMP softens residual resin. Both are laboratory reagents.[19]

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. ThermaX PSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Eel product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. add:north Koltron G1 product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  11. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  12. THERMAX PSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  13. TECASON S natural (PSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  14. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  16. 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
  17. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  18. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  20. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds