3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-CF vs TPU 95A

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

Carbon-fibre PC (PC-CF) guideTPU 95A guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-CF comparisonsMore TPU 95A comparisons
PC-CF vs TPU 95A — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PC (PC-CF)PCTPU 95AFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$62.58/kg median; $34.99–$117.33/kg across 6 dated product listings$39.99/kg median; $23.00–$106.05/kg across 15 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1][2]Thermoplastic polyurethane, polyester or polyether based, at about 92–95 Shore A[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Prusament) and 1.36 (3DXTech), ISO 1183[1][2]1.20–1.25 (ISO 1183); Prusament 1.25, Polymaker 1.20–1.24, Bambu Lab 1.22[3][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 35; the specialist and industrial brands run to 106[11][6][5][12][13][14]
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]23–106 across brands; IEMAI 3D 23, LANDU 24, Siraya Tech 25, PS Imports 25, PrimaCreator 32, Bambu Lab 35–42, Polymaker 40–50, add:north 72, Recreus 90, 3DXTech 96, NinjaTek Cheetah 106[6][15][11][8][12][13][16][17][18][14]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][8][19]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[11][8][6][15][12][13]
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 and 1 kg spools[11][8]
Typical applicationsStiff high-temperature structural parts — jigs, drone frames and under-bonnet brackets[1][2]Gaskets, phone cases, tyres, vibration mounts and protective covers[20]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament PC Blend Carbon Fiber)[1]±0.06 (Prusament) — the loosest tolerance Prusa publishes, because soft filament deforms in the gauge[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C285 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]210–240; Polymaker 210–230, Prusament 230 ± 10, Bambu Lab HF 220–240[3][4][5]
Bed temperature°C110 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]25–65; Prusament 65 ± 10, Bambu Lab 30–35, Polymaker 25–60[4][5][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[1][21]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanOff — Prusa allows 0–20 % and warns cooling significantly reduces interlayer adhesion[1]Fan on[3][5]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[22]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[23][20]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented2.4 at Polymaker's 30–50 mm/s and 2.4 at Prusa's 30 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Bambu Lab's high-flow grade lifts the cap to 200 mm/s (16 mm³/s)[3][4][5]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; the fibre reduces warping against unfilled PC[1][21]None[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[22][24]Sticks to most surfaces[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[24]Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker specifies 3–6 mm retraction, well above the 1–3 mm used for rigid filaments[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[21][1]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; the speed ceiling is the main constraint[3][4]
Extruder requirementNot documentedDirect drive strongly preferred. BASF rates its 95A grade as running on both direct-drive and Bowden machines, but every maker caps speed at 15–50 mm/s unless the grade is specifically high-flow[25][3][4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[21]Brass fine indefinitely[26]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[21]Non-abrasive[26]
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[27][22][28]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[29]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[22]High — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; soft filament buckles in the cold zone if it slows[20]
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[22]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[23]
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[30][31][27]Low (0.1–0.3 %) by Prusa's measurement at 0.04 % in 7 days, but Polymaker measures 0.82 % equilibrium and groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials[4][3][29]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.11 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[1]0.82 equilibrium (Polymaker); 0.02 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 22 % RH (Prusa)[3][4]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented70 °C for 8 h (Polymaker); 70 °C for 8 h or an 80–90 °C heatbed for 12 h (Bambu Lab)[3][5]
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[24][29]Polymaker groups TPU with nylon, PVA and PETG as highly hygroscopic and says these often need to stay in a dryer while printing; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[29]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[24]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[29]
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]41.4 ± 1.3 printed (Prusament, ISO 37); NinjaTek Cheetah 39 ultimate (ASTM D638)[4][32]
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]551 ± 24 printed (Polymaker, ISO 37); the filament itself stretches 7264 % before break (Prusa, ISO 527)[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]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][31]9.5 ± 0.2 (Prusament interlayer adhesion, ISO 527)[4]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1][2]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3][4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell83 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method), against 79 for unfilled Prusament PC Blend[1][31]92 ± 0.4 Shore A and 39 ± 0.7 Shore D (Prusament); 95A (Polymaker, ISO 7619-1); 91 Shore A / 40 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 40D, ISO 7619); 95A (NinjaTek Cheetah, ASTM D2240); 94.5 A measured on a printed Bambu Lab 95A part and 96.2 A on a Qidi one (My Tech Fun)[4][3][33][32][34]
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[35][1]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; a loaded bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days[34]
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[35]Excellent — living hinges viable[20]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[3][4]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion resistance is a headline property; BASF measures 64 mm³ loss by ISO 4649 on its 92A grade[25]
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][31]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C127 (3DXTech, DSC)[2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented144 melting (BASF 95A, ISO 11357-3); Bambu Lab 183, Polymaker's modulus at 100 % elongation 8.9 MPa[25][5]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[31]Bounded by a melting point of 144–183 °C; no loaded-bar service figure is published for TPU[25][5]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors unless stabilised[24]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[20]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[24]Good resistance to oils and common solvents (BASF)[25]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[24]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[20]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[24]Not biodegradable[20]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[24]Not accepted in household plastic collection[20]
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[36]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[36]
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[36]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[36][21]Open a window / occasional ventilation[36]
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[22]Sanding is impractical — the surface tears rather than abrades[20]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[22]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[20]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[22]No practical vapour smoothing[20]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[22]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove; PolyDissolve S1 is rated for TPU[20]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedStringing and elephant-foot are the accuracy limits; retraction has to be long and slow[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[37]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[38]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[37]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[38]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[39]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[38]

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. PolyFlex TPU95 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Prusament TPU 95A Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2025-05 · tds
  5. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — TPU 95A HF Bambu Lab · 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. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. LANDU TPU 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 95A Black 1 kg — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. IEMAI 3D TPU 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Cheetah product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. TPU for AMS — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Siraya Tech Flex TPU 95A Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. PrimaCreator EasyPrint FLEX TPU 95A product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. add:north TPU Pro Matte 95A product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Filastruder product catalogue Filastruder · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  21. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  24. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Ultrafuse TPU 95A Technical Data Sheet (Version 2.0) BASF Forward AM · 2022-08 · tds
  26. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  27. CARBONX ezPC+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  31. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  32. NinjaTek technical specs comparison chart (Cheetah, NinjaFlex, Armadillo, Alloy 910, Nylon 645) NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  33. FiberFlex 40D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  34. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  35. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  36. 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
  37. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  38. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  39. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds