3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-ESD vs PLA Silk

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

ESD-safe PC guideSilk PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-ESD comparisonsMore PLA Silk comparisons
PC-ESD vs PLA Silk — documented properties and sources
PropertyESD-safe PCPCSilk PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$180.00/kg median; $180.00–$180.00/kg across 1 dated product listings$19.49/kg median; $9.75–$24.99/kg across 15 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate compounded with a conductive filler for static-dissipative parts[1]PLA with a gloss-forming additive package; suppliers publish the composition as polylactic acid only[2]
Densityg/cm³1.24 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech); Stratasys specific gravity 1.195 (ASTM D792)[1][3]1.27 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 180[4]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[5][6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg180 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in this group[4]10–25 across brands; CHCKX 10 in a 16-roll bundle, SUNLU 13, LANDU 18, YXPOLYER 20, Polymaker 22, Devil Design 25[8][9][10][11][12]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[4]Stocked by most mainstream brands[5][8][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools plus Stratasys-compatible cartridges[4]1.75 mm; 1 and 1.1 kg spools; dual- and tri-colour coextruded variants[14][15]
Typical applicationsElectronics fixtures and trays that need PC heat resistance and static dissipation together[1]Decorative prints where surface gloss matters more than strength[2]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[16]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented210–240 — 20 °C above the plain PLA window[2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented35–45[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive)[17][18]Open frame is fine[2][19]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[20]Cool Plate SuperTack, smooth PEI or textured PEI[2]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[17][18]None[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[20][21]Sticks to anything[22]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[21]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[17]Easy — minor profile tuning; hotter nozzle and slower cap of 250 mm/s[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely[19]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — conductive carbon filler[1]Non-abrasive[23][19]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 120 °C pre-dry[24]Very low[19]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[20]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[25]
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[20]No special hot-end required[22]
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][24]Moderate — 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer, or 65–75 °C for 12 h on an X1 heatbed[2][28]
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[21][29]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[29]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[21]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[30][22]
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][31][3]33 (printed XY, ISO 527); eSun Silk broke 22 % below the 16-brand PLA mean on identical 4×4 mm bars[2][32]
Young's modulusMPa2300 (printed XY, ISO 527); Stratasys prints 1960 in XZ and 1810-1910 in ZX (ASTM D638)[1][3]2130 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2]
Elongation at break%6 at break (printed XY, ISO 527), against 14 for the unfilled grade[1][31]2.8 (printed XY, ISO 527) — a quarter of PLA Basic at 12.2[2][30]
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][3]75 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Flexural modulusMPa2310 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2460 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented10.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched); unnotched 18.5[2]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa32.5-37.9 at yield printed ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D638 on the Fortus 450mc and F900)[3]25 (printed Z, ISO 527), and flexural Z collapses to 30 against 75 in XY; eSun Silk broke at 12.3 kg where twelve of the 16 plain PLAs managed 44.6–61.5 kg[2][32][33]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[2]
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[34]Not documented
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[35][3]Poor — no silk-specific creep data published; plain PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[36][37]
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)[38][25]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%68-77 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638)[3]76 by tensile, 40 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[2]
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[3]60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C140-144 printed in XY, XZ and ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi); 124 moulded[3]56 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]
Glass transition (Tg)°C143 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 142 (Stratasys, ASTM D7426)[1][3]57 (DSC)[2]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented158 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 66 °C[2]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[27]50 — a loaded bar begins to move at this temperature (My Tech Fun, eSun eSilk PLA)[33]
Annealing responseNot documented50–55 °C for 6–12 h[2]
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[34]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[30][39]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[25][40]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[21]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[39][25]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water[30]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[21]Base resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[25]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[21]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[41][25]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[21]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[41]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance 10⁷–10⁹ ohm/sq, the static-dissipative band (ASTM D257), against above 10¹³ for unfilled ezPC[1][31]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[42]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[42]
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[42]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[42][17]None needed in a normal room[42]
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[20]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[40][25]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[20]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[25][43]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[20]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[25]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[20]Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[2]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documented55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges; gloss hides fine detail and is destroyed by sanding[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[44]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[45]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[44]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[45][46]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[47]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[48][46]

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. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PLA Silk+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. PC-ESD — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2024-10 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Panchroma Silk PLA collection Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Spectrum PLA Silk — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DJake ecoPLA Silk Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Sunlu Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1kg Sunlu Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Bambu Lab PLA Silk 1.75mm 1kg 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. CHCKX 16 Pack Silk Dual Color PLA Filament Bundle CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. YXPOLYER Silk PLA Black&Gold product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. LANDU Silk Tri-Color PLA Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Overture Silk PLA 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. eSUN PLA-Silk Magic 1.75mm eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  19. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  24. 3DXSTAT ESD-PC — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 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. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  31. ezPC Polycarbonate Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  32. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  33. Testing eSun PLA filaments: PLA-ST vs PLA+ vs Silk PLA My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  35. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  36. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  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. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  40. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  41. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  42. 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
  43. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  44. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  45. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  46. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  47. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds
  48. 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