3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-CF vs PLA+

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

Carbon-fibre PC (PC-CF) guidePLA+ / Tough PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-CF comparisonsMore PLA+ comparisons
PC-CF vs PLA+ — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PC (PC-CF)PCPLA+ / Tough PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$62.58/kg median; $34.99–$117.33/kg across 6 dated product listings$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1][2]PLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Prusament) and 1.36 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2]1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 35–117; the middle of the market is about 63[5][6][7][8][9]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg35–117 across brands; Ambrosia 35, IEMAI 39, YXPOLYER 55, Spectrum PC CF 70, Prusament 94, 3DXTech 117[5][6][7][8][9]10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[12][11][13][14][15]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][7][16]Stocked by most mainstream brands[12][10][11][13][14]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools[5][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[13][14][12]
Typical applicationsStiff high-temperature structural parts — jigs, drone frames and under-bonnet brackets[1][2]Functional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber)[1]±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[17]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C285 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[3][4]
Bed temperature°C110 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[3][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][18]Open frame is fine[3][4]
Part cooling fanOff — Prusa allows 0–20 % and warns cooling significantly reduces interlayer adhesion[1]Fan on[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[19]Textured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[3][4]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled PC[1][18]None[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[19][20]Sticks to anything[21]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[20]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[3][21]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[18][1]Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[3][4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[18]Brass fine indefinitely[22]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[18]Non-abrasive[23][22]
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[24][19][25]Very low[22]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[19]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[26]
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[19]No special hot-end required[21]
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[27][28][24]Low — 0.27 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.11 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[1]0.27 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab Tough+)[4]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 6–8 h; 65–75 °C for 12 h on a Bambu Lab X1 heatbed[3][4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[29]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[29]
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[20][29]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for the modified grades; the loss shows as poor layer adhesion rather than a strength number[29]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[20]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[4][21]
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]35–43 (printed XY, ISO 527); 53 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars for Bambu Lab Tough[3][4][30][31]
Young's modulusMPa2600 printed horizontal and 3200 printed vertical, ISO 527-1 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 6980[1][2]1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[3][4][32][33]
Elongation at break%4.6 at yield printed horizontal (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 2.1 at break[1][2]5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa94 ± 3 printed horizontal and 130 ± 2 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 85[1][2]62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[3][4][34][33]
Flexural modulusMPa3500 printed horizontal and 4200 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament); 3DXTech quotes 6540[1][2]2140–2393 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²12 ± 1 printed horizontal and 17 ± 2 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament)[1]38.9–72.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched) — 5–9× plain PLA[3][4]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 32 ± 5 printed horizontal and 35 ± 4 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1)[1]Charpy unnotched 80.6 printed XY (Bambu Lab Tough+); CNC Kitchen measured ~20 vs 5 kJ/m² for PolyLite PLA[4][30]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa23 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test) — above the 21 ± 2 of unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][28]20.9–32.4 printed Z (ISO 527); 33.0 on My Tech Fun layer-adhesion bars vs 27.6 for PLA Basic[3][4][31]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1][2]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3][4][30]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell83 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method), against 79 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][28]78.8 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's plain PLA[35]
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[36][1]Poor — 12 mm bar sagged to 20.2 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, the same as plain PLA[31][37]
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[36]Below average — impact modifiers raise absorbed energy 5–9×; plain PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[38][4][30]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented60 (Bambu Lab Tough+) to 78 (PolyMax PLA), printed[3][4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C114 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Prusament)[1]55 (PolyMax) to 61 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[3][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C106 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Prusament), against 93 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][28]52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[3][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C127 (3DXTech, DSC)[2]61 (DSC)[3][4]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented149–151 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 62 (ISO 306)[3][4]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[28]48–57 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature: 48 for Polymaker PLA Pro, 50 for Sunlu PLA+, 52 for Bambu Lab Tough, 57 for PolyTerra PLA+[31][39][35][37]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[40]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[4][3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[20]Degrades within weeks outdoors[26][41]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[20]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[3][4]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[20]Base resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[26]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[20]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[42][26]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[20]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[42]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[2]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[43]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[43]
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[43]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[43][18]None needed in a normal room[43]
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[19]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[41][26]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[19]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[26][44]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[19]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[26]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[19]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[3][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documented55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges (Bambu Lab Tough+)[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[45]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[46]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[45]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[46][47]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[48]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[49][47]

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. PolyMax PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Tough+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Spectrum PC CF Carbon Black, 1.75 mm / 250 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI CF-PC 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. YXPOLYER PC CF product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  24. CARBONX ezPC+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  29. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. The difference of PLA and PLA+ tested! (feat. Polymaker) CNC Kitchen · 2020-08 · test
  31. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  33. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  34. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  35. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  36. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  37. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  38. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  39. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  41. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  42. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  43. 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
  44. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  45. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  46. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  47. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  48. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds
  49. 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