3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-CF vs PCTG

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

Carbon-fibre PC (PC-CF) guidePCTG guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-CF comparisonsMore PCTG comparisons
PC-CF vs PCTG — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PC (PC-CF)PCPCTGPETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$62.58/kg median; $34.99–$117.33/kg across 6 dated product listings$34.99/kg median; $14.00–$50.67/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1][2]Poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) glycol — a copolyester with a higher cyclohexanedimethanol content than PETG[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Prusament) and 1.36 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2]1.23 (Extrudr, ASTM D792; 3DXTech, ISO 1183)[4][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 35–117; the middle of the market is about 63[6][7][8][9][10]1 kg spools cluster near 34[11][5][12]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg35–117 across brands; Ambrosia 35, IEMAI 39, YXPOLYER 55, Spectrum PC CF 70, Prusament 94, 3DXTech 117[6][7][8][9][10]14–51 across brands; CHCKX 14 in a 10-roll bundle, Push Plastic 30, Proto-pasta 35 at 1 kg, 3DXTech 51[11][5][13]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][8][14]Available from several mainstream brands[11][5][12][15]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools[6][8]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1, 3 and 5 kg spools[11][12][5]
Typical applicationsStiff high-temperature structural parts — jigs, drone frames and under-bonnet brackets[1][2]Transparent covers, guards and impact-loaded parts where PETG cracks[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C285 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]250–270 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[3][4]
Bed temperature°C110 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]60–100 (Spectrum)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][16]Open frame is fine — Spectrum and Extrudr both say a closed chamber is not necessary, Extrudr adds it helps on larger parts[3][4]
Part cooling fanOff — Prusa allows 0–20 % and warns cooling significantly reduces interlayer adhesion[1]Up to 100 % (Spectrum); 20–50 % (Extrudr)[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[17]Textured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[18][19]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented1.6–16 at the 20–200 mm/s Extrudr rates the material for, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4][20]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled PC[1][16]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[17][21]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[18][19]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[21]Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[19]
Shrinkage%Not documented0.2–0.5 (Extrudr, ASTM D955)[4]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[16][1]Easy — minor profile tuning[3][4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[16]Brass fine indefinitely — Extrudr explicitly states no hardened nozzle is needed[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[16]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; PC already absorbs water from the air and 3DXTech adds a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle, 0.25 mm layers and a 120 °C pre-dry[22][17][23]Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for PCTG, only a 65 °C pre-dry[24]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[17]Slightly sensitive[25]
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[17]No special hot-end required[25]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1–0.3 %) — the PC matrix takes up 0.15–0.25 % and 3DXTech specifies a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry[26][27][22]Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the copolyester matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 65 °C, 4 h pre-dry[18][24]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.11 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[1]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[28]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[28]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic and requires a 70–80 °C dry for 6–8 h; run wet, the loss shows as surface defects and poor layer adhesion[21][28]Polymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[28]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[21]Sealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[28][19]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa64 ± 3 printed horizontal and 70 ± 3 printed vertical at yield, ISO 527-1 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 73 at break[1][2]43–44 at yield and 45–46 at break (ISO 527, injection-moulded resin data from Spectrum and Extrudr); 48 on My Tech Fun printed bars[3][4][29]
Young's modulusMPa2600 printed horizontal and 3200 printed vertical, ISO 527-1 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 6980[1][2]Not documented
Elongation at break%4.6 at yield printed horizontal (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 2.1 at break[1][2]215–220 at break on moulded specimens (ISO 527); 4.3–4.4 at yield[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa94 ± 3 printed horizontal and 130 ± 2 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 85[1][2]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa3500 printed horizontal and 4200 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 6540[1][2]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²12 ± 1 printed horizontal and 17 ± 2 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament)[1]93–94 notched Izod at 23 °C on moulded specimens (ISO 180); 3DXTech quotes 8 by ISO 180/A[3][4][5]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 32 ± 5 printed horizontal and 35 ± 4 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1)[1]Izod 4.14 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars, against 3.37 for PETG on the same rig[29]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa23 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test) — above the 21 ± 2 of unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][27]21.6 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm printed bars, against 32.9 for PETG[29]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1][2]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3][4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell83 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method), against 79 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][27]69 Shore D measured by My Tech Fun, against 72 for PETG[29]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — holds load for years. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded unfilled PC ran unbroken at 41 MPa until the test was stopped; short carbon fibre raises the flexural modulus from about 2.1 to 3.5-6.5 GPa, which reduces creep strain further[30][1]Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 19.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, slightly worse than PETG's 18.2[29]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good. No fatigue test data was found for a carbon-fibre PC filament; the unfilled polymer is rated Good on the same scale[30]Good — 215 % elongation at break and 94 kJ/m² notched Izod on moulded specimens (Extrudr, Spectrum)[3][4]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[29]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C114 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Prusament)[1]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C106 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Prusament), against 93 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][27]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C127 (3DXTech, DSC)[2]78 (3DXTech, DSC)[5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 88 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[3][4]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[27]68 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature, against 65 for PETG[29]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard grades[31]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[21]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[21]Withstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[19]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — minor absorption; Spectrum describes the polymer as hydrophobic[3]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[21]Not certified for food contact as filament[19]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[21]Not biodegradable[19]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[21]Not accepted in household plastic collection[19]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[2]Surface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[32]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[32]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[32]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[32][16]Open a window / occasional ventilation[32]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[17]Sands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[25]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[17]Cyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[25]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[17]No practical vapour smoothing[25]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[17]Prints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[25]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedOptical clarity is the selling point; Extrudr recommends a layer height at most 50 % of nozzle diameter[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[33]No common workshop solvent; Eastman's CHDM copolyester data shows 1,2-dichloroethane destroying it within a week.[34]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[33]Acetone, ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften the copolyester; methanol crazes it (Eastman, 1 y at 23 °C).[34]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[35]Dichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[36]

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. Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v2.0 Prusa Polymers · 2023-04 · tds
  2. CarbonX Carbon Fiber ezPC Polycarbonate Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Spectrum Premium PCTG Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Extrudr PCTG technical data Extrudr · 2026-08 · tds
  5. MAX-G PCTG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Spectrum PC CF Carbon Black, 1.75 mm / 250 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI CF-PC 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. YXPOLYER PC CF product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. CHCKX 10KG Multicolor PCTG Filament bundle CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Atomic Filament product catalogue Atomic Filament · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  19. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. CARBONX ezPC+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. MAX-G PCTG — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  28. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  29. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  31. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  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. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  34. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  35. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds
  36. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc