3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-GF vs PP-CF

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

Glass-fibre PC (PC-GF) guideCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-GF comparisonsMore PP-CF comparisons
PC-GF vs PP-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF)PCCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$71.27/kg median; $71.27–$71.27/kg across 1 dated product listings$107.68/kg median; $57.13–$120.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with 30 wt% short glass fibre[1]Polypropylene reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.17 (measured on a 100 % infill printed part, ISO 1183-A)[1]0.91 (Prusament PP Carbon Fiber, ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 71[4]1 kg-equivalent spools span 57–138; the middle of the market is about 108[5][6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg71 — BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 at igo3d is the only priced listing found; Owens Corning sells XSTRAND GF30-PC in 500 g and 1 kg[4][1]57–138 across brands; Reli3D 57 at 700 g on Amazon, Prusament 108 direct from Prusa and 138 at Printed Solid, 3DXTech CarbonX PP+CF 120[5][8][6][7]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands — neither Polymaker's nor 3DXTech's polycarbonate range contains a glass-fibre grade, but BASF Forward AM and Owens Corning both sell one through European retail[4][1][9][6]Available from several mainstream brands[6][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm at +/- 0.05 mm; 500 g and 1 kg net spools[1]1.75 mm; 0.65 kg spools[8][6]
Typical applicationsFunctional prototyping for mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive[1]Lightweight chemical-resistant parts, automotive clips and ducting that must survive above 150 °C[10]
Diameter tolerance± mm+/- 0.05 (Owens Corning XSTRAND)[1]±0.04 (Prusament)[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C280-330 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]270 ± 10 (Prusament)[2]
Bed temperature°C80-110 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]85 ± 10 (Prusament)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — as for unfilled PC[11][12]Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[13][14]
Part cooling fanNot documentedOff — Prusa runs 0 % except 100 % on bridges[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPerforated plate, DimaFix or Magigoo PC glue (Owens Corning)[1]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented3.2 at Prusa's 40 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2][15]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedHigh — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a brim[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedVery difficult — special plates or slurry required[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedAdvanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[2]
Extruder requirementOwens Corning specifies a nozzle above 0.4 mm and hardened steel nozzles and drive wheels[1]Prusa states a hardened nozzle is necessary and recommends a brim[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — Owens Corning states glass reinforcement shortens brass nozzle and drive-wheel life[1]Hardened steel required — Prusa states plainly that a hardened nozzle is necessary[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — 30 wt% glass fibre[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; PC already absorbs water from the air and Prusa lists glass-filled composites as a higher clogging risk[16][17]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech specifies a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers or higher, and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[3][16]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Owens Corning measures below 0.1 % at 23 °C and 50 % RH (ISO 62)[1]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Prusa measures 0.03 % in 24 h and 0.04 % in 7 days on its PP composite, the lowest figures it publishes for any filament[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Below 0.1 at 23 °C and 50 % RH, and below 0.1 at saturation (ISO 62)[1]0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[2]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[18][19]Not applicable in practice at 0.04 % equilibrium uptake[2]
Storage requirementNot documentedNo special storage needed[2]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa65 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]21 ± 0.4 filament tensile yield (Prusament, ISO 527)[2]
Young's modulusMPa5400 (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%2.5 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa113 at yield (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa5500 (printed, ISO 178 at 2 mm/min)[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented14.5 ± 0.3 printed horizontal and 10.5 ± 0.8 printed vertical XZ (ISO 179-1, notched)[2]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2.5 % elongation at break[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[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 a glass-fibre grade[20]Rockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded unfilled PP stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre PP filament[21]
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, and 30 wt% glass raises the tensile modulus from about 2.3 to 5.4 GPa[22][1]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedGood[23]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented158 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — far above unfilled PP and above most engineering filaments[2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C137 (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa)[1]115 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]
Glass transition (Tg)°C145 (DSC, ISO 11357)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C270 stated as melting point (ISO 11357) — unusual for an amorphous polymer, but this is the published figure[1]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K26.2 in XY and 77.4 in Z (printed, ISO 11359-2) — a threefold anisotropy, and the lowest in-plane expansion of any polycarbonate here[1]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 verified (Owens Corning)[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Good — years with some colour shift. Owens Corning lists UV resistance as a product benefit but publishes no exposure data[1]Not documented
Chemical resistanceNot documentedExcellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents[14]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; below 0.1 % water at saturation (ISO 62)[1]Excellent — essentially unaffected[2]
Electrical & ESD propertiesElectrically insulating (Owens Corning)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[24]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission. Inferred: no polyolefin was among the nine filaments in the Azimi chamber study, so this is a family-level judgement rather than a measurement[24]
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[24]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[24][12]Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[24]
Dust & fibre handling hazardOwens Corning warns that the glass reinforcement is abrasive when melted and advises sufficient ventilation and avoiding extrusion fumes[1]Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]
Post-Processing
Dimensional accuracy & detailHigh dimensional stability is the headline benefit; the 26.2 um/m*K in-plane CTE is a third of unfilled PC's[1]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the matrix and leave the fibre; DMF and dioxane do the same (Covestro).[25]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves the matrix at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C, leaving the fibre.[26][27]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[25]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[26]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[28]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[26]

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. XSTRAND GF30-PC Data Sheet Owens Corning · 2019-04 · tds
  2. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  3. CarbonX PP+CF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 Black 2.85 mm 1.000 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Black 650g — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PP Filament 1.75 mm 700 g Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  11. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  12. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass 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. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  21. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  23. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  24. 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
  25. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  26. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  27. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  28. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds