3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

HIPS vs PPSU

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

HIPS guidePPSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore HIPS comparisonsMore PPSU comparisons
HIPS vs PPSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyHIPSABSPPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $27.99–$32.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$337.40/kg median; $223.00–$732.56/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryHigh-impact polystyrene — polystyrene toughened with a butadiene rubber phase[1][2]Polyphenylsulfone — an amorphous high-temperature sulfone polymer[3]
Densityg/cm³1.04 (ISO 1183)[1]1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech; ASTM D792, Stratasys PPSF)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 31[5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools span 223–733; the middle of the market is about 425[5][7][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg28–32 across brands; YXPOLYER 28, Push Plastic 30, 3DXTech 32[6][5][10]223-733 across brands; IEMAI 3D 223 at 1 kg, 3DXTech ThermaX PPSU 250 at 500 g, 3D4Makers 425 at 750 g, Kimya PPSU-S 733 at 500 g[5][7][8][9]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][7][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[6][5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 750 g spools[5][7][8]
Typical applicationsBreak-away and d-limonene-soluble support for ABS and ASA, and a light model material in its own right[2]Steam-sterilisable medical and dental tooling, and aircraft interior parts[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–245 (Simplify3D)[11]Not documented
Bed temperature°C100–115 (Simplify3D)[11]130–150 (3DXTech)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended[12]Actively heated chamber required[13][14]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan not required[11]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidGlue stick, glass plate, Kapton tape or PET sheets[11]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield[12]Severe — heated chamber needed[13]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[11]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — HIPS oozes less than ABS[11][15]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile[12]Expert / industrial hardware only[13][14]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[12]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[13]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[12]Non-abrasive when unfilled[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — no special hot-end required, no drybox and no hardened nozzle, and 3DXTech states drying is not needed[11][16][2]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[17]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[11]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[11]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1–0.3 %) — Simplify3D lists water resistance as a headline property[11]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.37 in 24 h and 1.1 at saturation on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[18]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[19]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates ABS moderate-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; absorbed water flashes to steam in the hotend and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[19]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[17]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; less critical than for the polyamides[19]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa40 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]55 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) and 55 (printed on side long edge, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF); 79 at yield on extruded stock[3][4][18]
Young's modulusMPa1350 (printed XY, ISO 527) — the lowest modulus of the styrenics here[1]2100 (printed, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF) and 2310 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 2344 on extruded stock[3][4][18]
Elongation at break%18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]3 (printed, ISO 527 and ASTM D638) against 60 on extruded stock — printing costs PPSU almost all of its ductility[3][4][18]
Flexural strengthMPa70 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]110 (printed, ISO 178 and ASTM D790, 3DXTech and Stratasys PPSF agree); 91 on extruded stock[3][4][18]
Flexural modulusMPa1600 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2200 (printed, ASTM D790, Stratasys PPSF) and 2215 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech)[3][4]
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 58.7 J/m and unnotched 165.5 J/m (printed, ASTM D256 Method A, Stratasys PPSF); 160 J/m notched on extruded stock[4][18]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M86 on printed PPSF (ASTM D785, Stratasys); M96 on extruded PPSU stock (and an unlabelled 123)[4][18]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Moderate — no printed-HIPS creep test found; Tg of 100 °C keeps room-temperature service far below softening[1][11]Good. Printed PPSF holds 189 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa (ASTM D648) and extruded stock is rated 149 °C long-term service, but Ensinger does not claim the creep resistance it claims for PSU and PPS[4][18]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate[1]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented190 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented189 (printed, ASTM D648 at 264 psi, Stratasys PPSF); 207 on extruded stock, converted from 405 °F[4][18]
Glass transition (Tg)°C100 (DSC)[1]230 (DSC) — the highest glass transition in the dataset[3]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point[1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CBounded by a glass transition of 100 °C; no loaded-bar service figure is published for HIPS[1]149 long-term service on extruded PPSU stock, converted from 300 °F[18]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented55.0 (printed PPSF, ASTM D696; source states 5.5e-5 mm/mm/°C) and 55.8 on extruded stock (ASTM D696, from 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[4][18]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[1]UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — polystyrene yellows and chalks under UV[20]Not documented
Chemical resistanceDissolves completely in d-limonene — the basis of its use as a soluble support[2]Withstands repeated steam autoclaving, the usual reason to choose PPSU over PSU; Stratasys also lists PPSF as passing 24 h stress-crack exposure to antifreeze, petrol, motor oil, power-steering, transmission and washer fluid at 23 °C and 100 °C[3][4]
Food contactNot food safe[20]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[20]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[20]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (ASTM D257)[1]Volume resistivity 5e13 to 1.5e14 ohm-cm and dielectric strength 80-290 V/mil on printed PPSF (ASTM D257, D149)[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5High — hazardous VOC such as styrene; enclosure and filtration needed[21]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[21]
VOC emission rateµg/min12–113 styrene, the range measured across ABS and the one HIPS filament tested[21]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈4 × 10⁹ median for the HIPS filament tested, an order of magnitude below ABS but forty times PLA[21]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedStyrene was the only dominant VOC identified for the HIPS filament tested[21]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Enclosure with carbon and HEPA filtration[21]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[21]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and paints readily, like ABS[20]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingSolvent-welds with d-limonene, and with acetone via its polystyrene backbone[11][2]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingd-limonene attacks the surface; acetone smoothing is far less effective than on ABS[2][11]Not documented
Support material pairingUsed as the support material itself — dissolves in d-limonene, or breaks away from ABS and ASA[2]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble ind-limonene, 12–24 h submerged with occasional agitation; acetone also dissolves it, and xylene does so at 23 °C.[22][23][24]Dichloromethane dissolves it at 23 °C at every stress level; acetone solvates and softens unstressed PPSU (Solvay ESCR).[25]
Softened or crazed byLimonene also disrupts layer adhesion in some ABS and ASA grades, so an ABS model can flake apart in the same bath.[26]MEK ruptures stressed parts and toluene crazes them above 13.8 MPa; glass-filled grades survive where unfilled craze.[25]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentLimonene welds and lightly etches it; acetone welds through the polystyrene backbone but smooths less well than ABS.[22][26]Dichloromethane cements PPSU and NMP softens residual resin; both are laboratory reagents, not workshop stock.[25]

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. 3DXMAX HIPS Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. 3DXMAX HIPS — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PPSF (polyphenylsulfone) — FDM Data Sheet Stratasys · 2018-06 · tds
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Kimya PPSU-S Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI 3D PPSU 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. YXPOLYER HIPS product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. HIPS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  12. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  14. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  15. ABS — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. THERMAX PPSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  18. TECASON P black (PPSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. ABS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. 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
  22. D-Limonene — FDM post-processing guide Filament2Print · 2026-08 · review
  23. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  24. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  25. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  26. HIPS — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc