3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-GF vs PPS-CF

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

Glass-fibre PC (PC-GF) guideFibre-reinforced PPS guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-GF comparisonsMore PPS-CF comparisons
PC-GF vs PPS-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PC (PC-GF)PCFibre-reinforced PPSHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$71.27/kg median; $71.27–$71.27/kg across 1 dated product listings$139.98/kg median; $119.98–$174.17/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate reinforced with 30 wt% short glass fibre[1]Carbon-fibre reinforced PPS — Polymaker's Fiberon grade is nominally 10 wt%[2]
Densityg/cm³1.17 (measured on a 100 % infill printed part, ISO 1183-A)[1]1.29 (Fiberon PPS-CF10) and 1.36 (Fiberon PPS-GF20), ISO 1183[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 71[4]1 kg-equivalent spools span 93–174; the middle of the market is about 140[5][6][7][8]
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]93-174 across brands and formats; Polymaker Fiberon PPS-GF20 93 at 3 kg, IEMAI 3D CF-PPS 131 at 750 g, LEHVOSS Luvocom 3F PPS CF 9938 164 at 2.3 kg, Bambu Lab PPS-CF 174 at 750 g[5][6][7][8]
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][5][9]Available from several mainstream brands[5][6][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm at +/- 0.05 mm; 500 g and 1 kg net spools[1]1.75 mm; 0.5 kg spools[5]
Typical applicationsFunctional prototyping for mechanical engineering, electronics and automotive[1]Chemical and automotive parts needing PPS chemistry with structural stiffness[2]
Diameter tolerance± mm+/- 0.05 (Owens Corning XSTRAND)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C280-330 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]Not documented
Bed temperature°C80-110 (Owens Corning XSTRAND GF30-PC)[1]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — as for unfilled PC[10][11]Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker states its Fiberon PPS-CF10 needs no heated chamber, unlike the unfilled sulfones and PAEKs[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPerforated plate, DimaFix or Magigoo PC glue (Owens Corning)[1]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedExpert / industrial hardware only[2]
Extruder requirementOwens Corning specifies a nozzle above 0.4 mm and hardened steel nozzles and drive wheels[1]Not documented
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[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[12][13]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; Polymaker specifies hardened steel or ruby nozzles for carbon-filled PPS and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[14][12]
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]Low (0.1–0.3 %) — 0.225 % equilibrium for Fiberon PPS-CF10 and 0.11 % for PPS-GF20[2][3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Below 0.1 at 23 °C and 50 % RH, and below 0.1 at saturation (ISO 62)[1]0.225 equilibrium (Fiberon PPS-CF10); 0.11 (PPS-GF20)[2][3]
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[15][16]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; equilibrium uptake is 0.225 % and Polymaker specifies a 100 °C, 10 h dry[2]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa65 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]59.4 ± 1.3 (PPS-CF10) and 64.1 ± 2.1 (PPS-GF20) printed XY, ISO 527[2][3]
Young's modulusMPa5400 (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]5446.7 ± 149.0 (PPS-CF10) and 4552.0 ± 54.6 (PPS-GF20) printed XY, ISO 527[2][3]
Elongation at break%2.5 at break (printed, ISO 527 at 1 mm/min)[1]1.4 ± 0.1 (PPS-CF10) and 2.0 ± 0.2 (PPS-GF20) printed XY, ISO 527 — the lowest elongation in the dataset[2][3]
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 documented5.3 ± 0.2 printed XY for PPS-CF10 and 7.3 ± 0.2 for PPS-GF20, ISO 179 notched[2][3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented32.0 ± 5.1 (PPS-CF10) and 22.9 ± 0.8 (PPS-GF20) printed Z, ISO 527[2][3]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; 2.5 % elongation at break[1]Very brittle — cracks or shatters easily; elongation at break 1.4 %[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[17]Rockwell 105 (and R124) on extruded unfilled PPS stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a fibre-filled PPS filament[18]
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[19][1]Excellent — holds load for years. Ensinger lists high creep resistance for unfilled PPS stock and Spectrum states creep resistance is unchanged under continuous load at high temperature; the fibre raises heat deflection to 252 °C at 0.45 MPa[18][20][2]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented54 (PPS-CF10) and 36 (PPS-GF20), printed[2][3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented252.5 (PPS-CF10) and 236.3 (PPS-GF20), printed, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[2][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C137 (printed, ISO 75 Method A at 1.8 MPa)[1]133 (PPS-CF10) and 125.8 (PPS-GF20), printed, ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[2][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C145 (DSC, ISO 11357)[1]97.7 (PPS-CF10) and 95.0 (PPS-GF20), DSC[2][3]
Melting point / Vicat°C270 stated as melting point (ISO 11357) — unusual for an amorphous polymer, but this is the published figure[1]279.7 (PPS-CF10) and 279.6 (PPS-GF20) melting, DSC; Vicat 267.5 and 272.5 (ISO 306)[2][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented170 long-term service on extruded PPS stock, converted from 338 °F; no figure published for the carbon-filled grade[18]
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 documentedOutstanding — PPS resists essentially all solvents below 200 °C[14]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; below 0.1 % water at saturation (ISO 62)[1]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesElectrically insulating (Owens Corning)[1]Surface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (ANSI/ESD S11.11)[2][3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[21]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[21]
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[21]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[21][11]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[21]
Dust & fibre handling hazardOwens Corning warns that the glass reinforcement is abrasive when melted and advises sufficient ventilation and avoiding extrusion fumes[1]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).[22]None — PPS does not dissolve in any known solvent below 200 °C.[23][24]
Softened or crazed byMethanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[22]Nothing at 23 °C; Ensinger rates it only conditionally resistant to benzene, dichloromethane, toluene and pyridine.[24]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds the resin, but the fibre keeps the joint from flowing closed. Controlled carcinogen.[25]None — no solvent welds or smooths PPS.[23]

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. Fiberon PPS-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-07 · tds
  3. Fiberon PPS-GF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-07 · tds
  4. BASF Ultrafuse PC GF30 Black 2.85 mm 1.000 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Bambu Lab PPS-CF Black, spool (750 g) 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI 3D CF-PPS 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  11. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. PPS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  18. TECATRON natural (PPS) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  20. Spectrum PPS AM230 Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2022-04 · tds
  21. 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
  22. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  23. PPS (Polyphenylene sulfide) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds