3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

Magnetic vs PLA Silk

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

Magnetic filament guideSilk PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Magnetic comparisonsMore PLA Silk comparisons
Magnetic vs PLA Silk — documented properties and sources
PropertyMagnetic filamentSPECIALTYSilk PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$64.99/kg median; $64.99–$64.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$19.49/kg median; $9.75–$24.99/kg across 15 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA loaded with ferromagnetic iron powder, so printed parts respond to magnets[1]PLA with a gloss-forming additive package; suppliers publish the composition as polylactic acid only[2]
Densityg/cm³About 1.85 (Proto-pasta manufacturer figure) — 1.5× standard PLA[1]1.27 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 65[3]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[4][5][6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg64–70 across formats; 1 kg spool 65, 500 g 70, 2 kg 70[3]10–25 across brands; CHCKX 10 in a 16-roll bundle, SUNLU 13, LANDU 18, YXPOLYER 20, Polymaker 22, Devil Design 25[7][8][9][10][11]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3]Stocked by most mainstream brands[4][7][12]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[3]1.75 mm; 1 and 1.1 kg spools; dual- and tri-colour coextruded variants[13][14]
Typical applicationsSensor targets, magnetic fixtures, and props that need to stick to a magnet or rust deliberately[1]Decorative prints where surface gloss matters more than strength[2]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[15]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C192 (Proto-pasta)[1]210–240 — 20 °C above the plain PLA window[2]
Bed temperature°C60 (Proto-pasta)[1]35–45[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[2][16]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedCool Plate SuperTack, smooth PEI or textured PEI[2]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to anything[17]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; slow, and brittle in filament form[1]Easy — minor profile tuning; hotter nozzle and slower cap of 250 mm/s[2]
Extruder requirementProto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[1]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[1]Brass fine indefinitely[16]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — metal fill[1]Non-abrasive[18][16]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists metal-filled composites as a higher clogging risk and recommends a 0.6 mm nozzle minimum[19]Very low[16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[20]
Hotend requirementProto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[1]No special hot-end required[17]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate — 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer, or 65–75 °C for 12 h on an X1 heatbed[2][21]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[22]
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[22]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[22]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[23][17]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented33 (printed XY, ISO 527); eSun Silk broke 22 % below the 16-brand PLA mean on identical 4×4 mm bars[2][24]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented2130 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2]
Elongation at break%Not documented2.8 (printed XY, ISO 527) — a quarter of PLA Basic at 12.2[2][23]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented75 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented2460 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented10.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched); unnotched 18.5[2]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented25 (printed Z, ISO 527), and flexural Z collapses to 30 against 75 in XY; eSun Silk broke at 12.3 kg where twelve of the 16 plain PLAs managed 44.6–61.5 kg[2][24][25]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — Proto-pasta describes the filament as more brittle than standard PLA and needing extra care in handling[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[2]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — no silk-specific creep data published; plain PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[26][27]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedPoor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength (R = 0.2)[28][20]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented76 by tensile, 40 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented56 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented57 (DSC)[2]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented158 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 66 °C[2]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50 — a loaded bar begins to move at this temperature (My Tech Fun, eSun eSilk PLA)[25]
Annealing responseNot documented50–55 °C for 6–12 h[2]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[23][29]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[20][30]
Outdoor durabilityDeliberately rustable — Proto-pasta markets the iron content as oxidising when exposed to moisture[1]Not documented
Chemical resistanceNot documentedGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[29][20]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water[23]
Food contactNot documentedBase resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[20]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[31][20]
RecyclabilityNot documentedMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[31]
Electrical & ESD propertiesFerromagnetic: Proto-pasta states it responds to magnets and behaves similarly to pure iron[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[32]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[32]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[32]None needed in a normal room[32]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningPolishing and deliberate rusting are the intended finishes[1]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[30][20]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[20][33]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[20]
Support material pairingNot documentedSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[2]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documented55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges; gloss hides fine detail and is destroyed by sanding[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA matrix and leaves the iron powder behind; laboratory reagent, not workshop stock.[34][1]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[34]
Softened or crazed byAcetone and ethyl acetate plasticise the matrix rather than dissolving it; water attacks the exposed iron.[34][1]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[34][35]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — PLA has no workshop-safe solvent, and the iron loading blocks the surface flow smoothing needs.[34]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[36][35]

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. Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PLA Silk+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Panchroma Silk PLA collection Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Spectrum PLA Silk — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3DJake ecoPLA Silk Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Sunlu Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1kg Sunlu Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Bambu Lab PLA Silk 1.75mm 1kg 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. CHCKX 16 Pack Silk Dual Color PLA Filament Bundle CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. YXPOLYER Silk PLA Black&Gold product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. LANDU Silk Tri-Color PLA Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Overture Silk PLA 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. eSUN PLA-Silk Magic 1.75mm eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Composite materials with metal or wood particles Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  24. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  25. Testing eSun PLA filaments: PLA-ST vs PLA+ vs Silk PLA My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  29. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  30. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  31. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  32. 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
  33. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  34. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  35. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  36. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper