3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

Conductive vs Breakaway

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

Conductive filament guideBreak-away support guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Conductive comparisonsMore Breakaway comparisons
Conductive vs Breakaway — documented properties and sources
PropertyConductive filamentSPECIALTYBreak-away supportSUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$170.36/kg median; $89.99–$796.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$42.49/kg median; $26.00–$79.98/kg across 4 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]Break-away support compounds matched to a specific model material — Polymaker sells separate grades for PLA and for PA12[5][6]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.22 (PolySupport for PLA) and 1.29 (PolySupport for PA12), 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]1 kg-equivalent spools span 26–80; the middle of the market is about 45[10][11][12]
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]26–80 across brands and grades; IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE 26, Polymaker PolySupport for PLA 40 at 750 g, YXPOLYER 45, PolySupport for PA12 80 at 500 g[10][11][12]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][2]Available from several mainstream brands[10][13]
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; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[10]
Typical applicationsCapacitive touch surfaces, low-current traces, EMI shielding and static-safe fixtures[1]Support that peels off by hand, avoiding the moisture handling and dissolution time that soluble supports demand[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented220–230 (PolySupport for PLA)[5]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60 (PolySupport for PLA)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[5]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[5]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[1]Easy — minor profile tuning[5]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer[5]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1]Brass fine indefinitely[5]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Non-abrasive[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; Polymaker specifies a 55 °C dry for the PLA grade and warns brass nozzle life falls to about 9 h on the PA12 grade[5][6]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate — 0.64 % equilibrium water absorption (PolySupport for PLA)[5]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.64 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySupport for PLA)[5]
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]Not a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[14]
Mechanical Properties
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; carbon-black loading at conductive levels embrittles PLA[1]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented43 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, PolySupport for PA12). Polymaker's sheet prints a higher figure at the higher load, which is physically inverted; treat both HDT numbers as approximate[6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, PolySupport for PA12) — printed above the 0.45 MPa figure on Polymaker's own sheet, which cannot be right; treat both as approximate[6]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedVicat 171 (PolySupport for PA12, ISO 306)[6]
Environment & Chemical
Electrical & ESD propertiesConductive rather than dissipative — Proto-pasta sells the grade as electrically conductive composite PLA[1]Surface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, THERMAX HTS2 and MTS1)[15][16]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[17]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[17]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[17]Open a window / occasional ventilation[17]
Dust & fibre handling hazardConductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Support material pairingNot documentedThis is the support material. Polymaker publishes an adhesion matrix per model material, from very good to unusable, because break-away supports only work against the polymer they were matched to[5][6]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves PLA-based grades, leaving the carbon black; TPU-based grades need DMF, NMP or THF. Laboratory reagents.[18][19]None — break-away support is removed mechanically; 3DXTech lists no water or solvent route for it.[20]
Softened or crazed byAcetone and ethyl acetate plasticise a PLA-based grade; a TPU-based grade swells in toluene, esters and alcohols.[18][19]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — neither PLA nor TPU has a workshop-safe welding or smoothing solvent.[18][19]None — there is no solvent to weld or smooth with.[20]

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. PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. PolySupport for PA12 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · 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. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. YXPOLYER Breakaway Support Filament 1 kg Black — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE breakaway support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. THERMAX HTS2 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  16. THERMAX MTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  17. 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
  18. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  19. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  20. THERMAX HTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor