3D Printing InfoFilament comparison
Conductive vs PVDF
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | Conductive filamentSPECIALTY | PVDFENGINEERING |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $170.36/kg median; $89.99–$796.00/kg across 4 dated product listings | $250.67/kg median; $250.67–$250.67/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] | Polyvinylidene fluoride — a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer[5][6] |
| Densityg/cm³ | Not documented | 1.71 (ISO 1183) — the densest unfilled filament in the dataset[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[7][8][9] | 1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 251[10] |
| 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[7][2][8][9] | 251 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in the whole dataset[10] |
| Market availability1–5 | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][2] | Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[10][11] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 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; 750 g spools[10] |
| Typical applications | Capacitive touch surfaces, low-current traces, EMI shielding and static-safe fixtures[1] | Chemical-plant fittings, semiconductor handling and parts needing outstanding UV and chemical resistance[5] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Bed temperature°C | Not documented | 70–110 (3DXTech FluorX)[5] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Open frame is fine[1] | Enclosure required (passive)[5] |
| Warping tendency1–5 | Not documented | High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[5] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[1] | Expert / industrial hardware only[5][6] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1] | Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[5] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1] | Non-abrasive when unfilled[5] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Low — Proto-pasta states the carbon-filled grade prints on standard PLA settings with no special nozzle required[1] | Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns, no minimum layer height and states drying is not required[11] |
| Other hardware wear | Not documented | Hydrogen fluoride released on overheating is extremely corrosive and will attack hotend and enclosure metalwork as well as people[6] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Not documented | Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — fluoropolymers are essentially non-hygroscopic[5] |
| 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[12] | Not applicable in practice — 3DXTech states drying is not required for PVDF, so there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure[11] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | Not documented | 51 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[5] |
| Young's modulusMPa | Not documented | 2450 (printed XY, ISO 527)[5] |
| Elongation at break% | Not documented | 25 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[5] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | Not documented | 50 (printed XY, ISO 178)[5] |
| Flexural modulusMPa | Not documented | 1800 (printed XY, ISO 178)[5] |
| Other impact data | Not documented | Izod 133 J/m on extruded PVDF stock, converted from 2.49 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[13] |
| Brittleness1–5 | Brittle — snaps with little warning; carbon-black loading at conductive levels embrittles PLA[1] | Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[5] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Not documented | Rockwell M79 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D785)[13] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Slightly flexible in thin sections[5] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | Not documented | 149 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 300 °F)[13] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | Not documented | 113 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 235 °F)[13] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | Not documented | 170 melting (ISO 11357)[5] |
| Continuous service temperature°C | Not documented | 149 long term and short term on extruded PVDF stock (converted from 300 °F)[13] |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | Not documented | 127.8 (extruded PVDF stock, ASTM D696; source states 7.1e-5 in/in/°F) — the highest thermal expansion of any engineering polymer in this dataset[13] |
| Flammability / UL 94 | Not documented | UL 94 V-0 on extruded PVDF stock; Ensinger lists inherent flame resistance[13] |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Not documented | Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Ensinger lists good UV and weather resistance and high gamma radiation resistance for PVDF stock[5][13] |
| Chemical resistance | Not documented | Outstanding — resistant to most acids, solvents and oxidising agents, which is the reason to use it[5] |
| Water / humidity resistance in service1–5 | Not documented | Excellent — essentially unaffected[5] |
| 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[14] | Very high — toxic decomposition products; local exhaust mandatory. Above 315 °C thermal decomposition yields hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide[6] |
| Hazardous species emitted | Not documented | Above 315 °C: hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide, phenols, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and dense smoke. HF is extremely corrosive, its skin burns may not be immediately visible or painful, and exposure can be fatal by skin absorption, inhalation or ingestion[6] |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Open a window / occasional ventilation[14] | Local exhaust to outside / fume hood — the SDS states local exhaust is preferred[6] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Conductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1] | Molten polymer causes thermal burns and must not be pulled off the skin. If HF is detected during a decomposition event, cut the heat but keep the extraction running, ventilate, and clear non-essential people from the area[6] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | Not documented | The processing window sits well below the 315 °C decomposition threshold, so nozzle temperature must be controlled rather than raised to chase flow[5][6] |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Chloroform dissolves PLA-based grades, leaving the carbon black; TPU-based grades need DMF, NMP or THF. Laboratory reagents.[15][16] | THF, MEK, DMF, DMAc, NMP, DMSO and trimethyl phosphate dissolve 5–10 wt% at ambient — Arkema's active solvents, all lab reagents.[17] |
| Softened or crazed by | Acetone and ethyl acetate plasticise a PLA-based grade; a TPU-based grade swells in toluene, esters and alcohols.[15][16] | Acetone, MIBK, cyclohexanone, butyl acetate and glycol ethers swell it; alkalis above pH 12 attack the homopolymer.[17][18] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None — neither PLA nor TPU has a workshop-safe welding or smoothing solvent.[15][16] | None for the workshop — the active solvents (NMP, DMAc, DMF) are laboratory reagents used for casting membranes, not joints.[17] |
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
- FluorX PVDF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- FluorX PVDF Safety Data Sheet v1.1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · msds
- 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
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- FluorX PVDF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- TECAFLON PVDF natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- 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
- Kynar PVDF — Design properties: solubility and irradiation (active and latent solvents) Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
- Kynar PVDF resin — chemical and fuel resistance Arkema · 2026-08 · tds