3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-ESD vs rPLA

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

ESD-safe PC guideRecycled PLA (rPLA) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-ESD comparisonsMore rPLA comparisons
PC-ESD vs rPLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyESD-safe PCPCRecycled PLA (rPLA)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$180.00/kg median; $180.00–$180.00/kg across 1 dated product listings$20.79/kg median; $16.05–$40.64/kg across 8 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate compounded with a conductive filler for static-dissipative parts[1]PLA regranulated from post-industrial PLA manufacturing waste; post-consumer feedstock is rare[2][3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.24 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech); Stratasys specific gravity 1.195 (ASTM D792)[1][5]1.24 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 180[6]1 kg spools run 20–22[7][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg180 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in this group[6]16–41 across brands; Fiberlogy refill 16, Filamentive 750 g 41[10][11]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[6]Available from several mainstream brands[3][4][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools plus Stratasys-compatible cartridges[6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[12][10][3]
Typical applicationsElectronics fixtures and trays that need PC heat resistance and static dissipation together[1]General-purpose printing where the feedstock's recycled content matters more than an exact colour match[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 guaranteed by Prusa Research today; the 2021 datasheet specified ±0.05, against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PLA[3][2][13]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented210 ± 10 (Prusament); 200 ± 15 (Filamentive)[2][4]
Bed temperature°CNot documented40–60 (Prusament); up to 60 (Filamentive)[2][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[14][15]Open frame is fine[2][16]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 %[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[17]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[14][15]None — brim not generally needed[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[17][18]Sticks to anything[19]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[18]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[14]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[2][16]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely[16]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Non-abrasive[20][16]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 120 °C pre-dry[21]Very low[16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[17]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[22]
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[17]No special hot-end required[19]
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[23][24][21]Moderate — 0.3 % after both 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method), against 0.19 % in 7 days for virgin Prusament PLA[2][13]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.3 after 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method)[2]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[25]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[25]
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][25]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[25]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[18]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[26][19]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa68 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) — above the 58 of 3DXTech's unfilled ezPC; Stratasys prints 47.6-49.4 at yield in XZ (ASTM D638)[1][27][5]49 printed horizontal and 55 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1, yield); virgin Prusament PLA gives 51 and 59 by the same method[2][13]
Young's modulusMPa2300 (printed XY, ISO 527); Stratasys prints 1960 in XZ and 1810-1910 in ZX (ASTM D638)[1][5]2100 printed horizontal, 2300 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2300 and 2400[2][13]
Elongation at break%6 at break (printed XY, ISO 527), against 14 for the unfilled grade[1][27]3.1 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2.9[2][13]
Flexural strengthMPa95 (printed XY, ISO 178); Stratasys prints 82.6-83.2 at break in XZ against 46.3-49.5 in ZX (ASTM D790)[1][5]82 printed horizontal, 87 printed vertical XZ (ISO 178); virgin Prusament PLA 83 and 99[2][13]
Flexural modulusMPa2310 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]3100 printed horizontal (ISO 178) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[2][13]
Other impact dataNot documentedCharpy unnotched 14.0 printed horizontal (ISO 179-1); virgin Prusament PLA 13[2][13]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa32.5-37.9 at yield printed ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D638 on the Fortus 450mc and F900)[5]21 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test); virgin Prusament PLA 17 ± 3 by the same test[2][13]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[22][20]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell 70 (118) — the source does not name the scales and Shore D 79 on extruded unfilled PC stock (ASTM D785, D2240); no figure is published for an ESD grade[28]80 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); virgin Prusament PLA 81[2][13]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — holds load for years. Moulded unfilled PC was still running unbroken under 41 MPa tensile creep at room temperature when the test was stopped, and the conductive filler leaves the glass transition unchanged at 142 °C, so the creep mechanism is polycarbonate's[29][5]Poor — no recycled-PLA creep data published; virgin PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[30][31]
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)[32][22]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[20]
Z strength as % of XY%68-77 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638)[5]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C143-146 printed in XY, XZ and ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi); 135 moulded[5]55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[2][13]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C140-144 printed in XY, XZ and ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi); 124 moulded[5]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa); virgin Prusament PLA 55[2][13]
Glass transition (Tg)°C143 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 142 (Stratasys, ASTM D7426)[1][5]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[24]55 (Filamentive states heat resistance up to 55 °C)[4]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K68.4 on extruded unfilled PC stock (ASTM D696; source states 3.8e-5 in/in/°F); no figure is published for a conductive-filled grade[28]96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[33]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[26][34]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[22][35]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[18]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[34][22]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water[26]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[18]Filamentive certifies its rPLA to EN 71-3 and lists it food safe; printed layer grooves still harbour bacteria[4][22]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[18]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[4]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[18]The feedstock itself; Filamentive uses 50 % post-industrial content and runs a PLA take-back scheme[4][11]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance 10⁷–10⁹ ohm/sq, the static-dissipative band (ASTM D257), against above 10¹³ for unfilled ezPC[1][27]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[36]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[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
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedPrusament rPLA Corn Pigment uses organic waste pigments such as red algae, which give a noticeable scent while printing[3]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[36][14]None needed in a normal room[36]
Dust & fibre handling hazardConductive carbon filler is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[17]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[35][22]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[17]Superglue for most joints; acetone works on some grades depending on additives and colour[3]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[17]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[22]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[17]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[37]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. 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]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[38][39]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[40]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[41][39]

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. 3DXSTAT ESD-PC Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Prusament PLA Recycled Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2021-12 · tds
  3. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. PC-ESD — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2024-10 · tds
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3D-Fuel ReFuel Recycled PLA 1kg 3D-Fuel · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Proto-pasta Black Recycled PLA 1kg Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Formfutura ReForm rPLA (White) 1kg Filament2Print · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Filamentive PLA (rPLA) 750 g CREATE Education · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Kimya PLA-R 750 g Crea3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  14. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  16. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  21. 3DXSTAT ESD-PC — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  25. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  27. ezPC Polycarbonate Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  28. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  30. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  33. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  34. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  35. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  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. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  39. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  40. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds
  41. 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