3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-CF vs PVA

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

Carbon-fibre PC (PC-CF) guidePVA (soluble support) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-CF comparisonsMore PVA comparisons
PC-CF vs PVA — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PC (PC-CF)PCPVA (soluble support)SUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$62.58/kg median; $34.99–$117.33/kg across 6 dated product listings$65.98/kg median; $42.00–$96.00/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1][2]Polyvinyl alcohol — a water-soluble support polymer[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Prusament) and 1.36 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2]0.6–0.9 (3DXTech AquaTek, ISO 1183) and 1.13 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 35–117; the middle of the market is about 63[5][6][7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools span 42–96; the middle of the market is about 66[7][10][11][12]
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]42–96 across brands; IEMAI 3D E-WATER 42, YXPOLYER 55, Reli3D 66 at 500 g, Polymaker PolyDissolve S1 67 at 750 g, 3DXTech AquaTek 96 at 750 g in 1.75 mm[7][10][11][13][12]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][7][14]Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][10][11][13][12]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools[5][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[7][10]
Typical applicationsStiff high-temperature structural parts — jigs, drone frames and under-bonnet brackets[1][2]Dissolvable support for PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG — Polymaker names those four for PolyDissolve S1[4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C285 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]215–225 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Bed temperature°C110 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]25–60 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][15]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanOff — Prusa allows 0–20 % and warns cooling significantly reduces interlayer adhesion[1]Part cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[16]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[17]PEI sheet or painter's tape[16]
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[4]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled PC[1][15]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[17][18]Sticks to most surfaces[16]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[18]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[16]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[15][1]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; PVA is unusable once it has taken up moisture[19][4]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer; PVA is a support material, not a model material[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[15]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[15]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[20][17][21]Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet PVA foams and carbonises in the nozzle[19]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[17]High — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; Simplify3D warns PVA clogs if the nozzle is left hot while not extruding[16]
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[17]No special hot-end required, but the nozzle must not be parked hot[16]
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[22][23][20]Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker measures 10.21 % equilibrium water absorption, by far the highest in the dataset[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.11 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[1]10.21 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[19]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface; with PVA this progresses to clogging[19]
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[18][19]Polymaker groups PVA with nylon as the most moisture-prone class and says it often has to stay in a dryer while printing; there is no published dry-versus-conditioned strength comparison because PVA is not a structural material[19]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[18]Sealed with desiccant at all times; PVA takes up water faster than any other filament here[19][4]
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]Not documented
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]Not documented
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]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 32 ± 5 printed horizontal and 35 ± 4 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1)[1]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa23 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test) — above the 21 ± 2 of unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][23]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1][2]Not documented
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell83 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method), against 79 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][23]Not documented
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[24][1]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; PVA is not used structurally[3]
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[24]Poor — fails after a few cycles[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documented3DXTech marks tensile strength, modulus and elongation as not applicable for its PVA support grade — it is not characterised as a structural material[3]
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][23]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C127 (3DXTech, DSC)[2]60 (3DXTech AquaTek, DSC)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[23]Bounded by a glass transition of 60 °C[3]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[18]Degrades within weeks outdoors, and dissolves in rain long before UV matters[4]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[18]Dissolves in water; unusable in any wet or humid service environment[4][16]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedDissolves or disintegrates — by design[4][3]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[18]Not offered as a food-contact material[3]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[18]PVA is water-soluble and biodegrades in wastewater treatment, but Simplify3D notes disposal should follow local guidance[16]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[18]Dissolved PVA goes to drain rather than to recycling[16]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — not static-dissipative (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[2]Surface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, 3DXTech AquaTek PVA)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[25]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[25]
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[25]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25][15]Open a window / occasional ventilation[25]
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]Not sanded — it is dissolved away rather than finished[16]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[17]Not applicable — PVA is a sacrificial support[16]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[17]Water is the solvent; no vapour smoothing is used[4]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[17]This is the support material; Polymaker pairs PolyDissolve S1 with PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[26]Water — tap water works cold, warm moving water is faster; 6–12 h typical, changing the water every few hours.[27][28]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[26]Nothing else: polyvinyl alcohol resists organic solvents, so an IPA or acetone rinse leaves the support intact.[29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[30]None — water dissolves PVA rather than welding it, and no solvent gives it a smoothed surface.[27]

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. AquaTek PVA Water Soluble Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · 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. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. YXPOLYER PVA 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI 3D E-WATER water-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Reli3D PVA Filament 1.75 mm 500 g Natural — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PVA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. CARBONX ezPC+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  24. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  25. 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
  26. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  27. PolyDissolve S1 — Polymaker Wiki Polymaker · 2026-08 · doc
  28. 3DXTech AquaTek PVA product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  29. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds
  30. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds