3D Printing InfoFilament comparison
PC vs TPU-CF
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | Polycarbonate (PC)PC | Carbon-fibre TPUFLEX |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $39.99/kg median; $29.99–$92.00/kg across 9 dated product listings | $107.05/kg median; $107.05–$107.05/kg across 1 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | Bisphenol-A polycarbonate — an amorphous engineering thermoplastic[1][2] | Carbon-fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane at the hard end of the range[3] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.19 (Polymaker) to 1.22 (Prusament), ISO 1183; Bambu Lab 1.20; Stratasys specific gravity 1.20 (ASTM D792)[1][4][5][6] | 1.22 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 2781)[3] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg spools cluster near 40[5][7][8] | 107 for the only retail listing found (Extrudr 0.5 kg coil, incl. VAT)[9] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 30–92 across brands; Polymaker PolyLite 30, Bambu Lab 40, Polymaker PolyMax 52, Prusament 59, 3DXTech ezPC 64 and 3DXMAX PC 92[7][5][8][10] | One listing only: EUR 49.56 incl. VAT per 0.5 kg coil, direct from Extrudr; no reseller or second brand found[9] |
| Market availability1–5 | Available from several mainstream brands[5][7][10][8] | Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Extrudr's FLEX HARD CF is the only carbon-filled flexible with a published datasheet found here[3] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 0.9, 1 and 3 kg spools[7][10][8] | 1.75 mm; 0.5 and 2 kg coils[9] |
| Typical applications | Light guides, lenses, under-bonnet automotive parts and impact-loaded housings that must hold shape above 110 °C[2][1] | Stiffened flexible parts — damping mounts and semi-rigid brackets[3] |
| Diameter tolerance± mm | ±0.03 (Prusament PC Blend)[4] | Not documented |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | 250–280 across brands; Prusament 275 ± 10, Bambu Lab 260–280, Polymaker 250–270. Polymaker's material guide gives a wider 260–310 for PC and its composites[4][5][1][2] | 230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3] |
| Bed temperature°C | 90–115; Prusament 110 ± 10, Bambu Lab 90–110, Polymaker 90–105[4][5][1] | 50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a 70–100 °C chamber, Bambu Lab 45–60 °C and rules out its P1P and A-series machines[1][5][11] | Open frame is fine[3] |
| Recommended chamber temperature°C | 70–100 (Polymaker); 45–60 (Bambu Lab)[1][5] | Not documented |
| Part cooling fan | Off or very low — Polymaker specifies off, Prusament 20 % within a 0–30 % range, Bambu Lab 0–60 %[1][4][5] | Not documented |
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | Textured PEI with glue when needed (Polymaker); smooth or textured PEI (Bambu Lab)[1][12] | PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[13][14] |
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s | 24 at Bambu Lab's 300 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Polymaker allows 50–200 mm/s and its material guide advises 30–60 for layer adhesion[5][1][2][15] | 1.6–8 at the 20–100 mm/s Extrudr specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3] |
| Warping tendency1–5 | Severe — heated chamber needed[1][2][11] | Not documented |
| Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5 | Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[1][11] | Not documented |
| Stringing / oozing tendency1–5 | Moderate — retraction tuning needed[2] | Not documented |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[2][11] | Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle needed[3] |
| Extruder requirement | All-metal hotend rated to 300 °C; Polymaker advises larger nozzles and high chamber temperatures to improve bonding[2] | Not documented |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass fine indefinitely[11] | Hardened steel required — Extrudr marks FLEX HARD CF as needing a hardened nozzle where its unfilled FLEX grades do not[3] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Non-abrasive[1] | Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[3] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[2] | High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; a flexible base plus chopped carbon fibre, which Prusa lists as a higher nozzle-clogging risk, and Extrudr requires a hardened nozzle[16][3][13] |
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5 | Slightly sensitive[17] | Not documented |
| Hotend requirement | All-metal hot end required (Simplify3D); Polymaker advises a hot end rated above 300 °C[17][2] | No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[13] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Low — 0.25 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); Prusa measures 0.15 % after 7 days at 22 % RH. Polymaker nonetheless calls PC highly hygroscopic in service[5][4][2] | Moderate[18] |
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH% | 0.25 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.15 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa)[5][4] | Not documented |
| Drying temperature & time | 80 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab); 75 °C for 6 h (Polymaker); 70–80 °C for 6–8 h (Polymaker material guide)[5][1][2] | 60 °C for 6 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3] |
| Symptoms when wet | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[18] | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[18] |
| Effect of moisture on strength | No 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[2][18] | Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[18] |
| Storage requirement | Airtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[2] | Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[18] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 53.4 (PolyMax) to 69.1 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 527; Bambu Lab 62 +/- 2 and Prusament 63 +/- 1 at yield; Stratasys 62.3-64.6 at yield printed XZ, ASTM D638 (its PC White table duplicates the Antero 840CN03 figures and was not used)[1][19][5][4][20][6] | Not documented |
| Young's modulusMPa | 2110 (Bambu Lab) to 2497 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 527; Prusament 1900, 3DXTech 2180[5][1][4][20] | 35 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500)[3] |
| Elongation at break% | 3.8 (Bambu Lab) to 4.8 (PolyLite) at break, printed XY, ISO 527; 3DXTech quotes 14 at break, Prusament 5.8 at yield[5][1][20][4] | 380 ultimate elongation (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500), against 490 for the unfilled FLEX HARD[3] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | 81.3 (PolyMax) to 108 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; Prusament 88 ± 1, PolyLite 106.1[19][5][4][1] | Not documented |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 2050 (PolyMax) to 2640 (PolyLite) printed XY, ISO 178; Prusament 2100[19][1][4] | Not documented |
| Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m² | 4.1 (PolyLite) to 21.3 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 12 ± 1[1][19][4] | Not documented |
| Other impact data | Charpy unnotched does not break on Prusa's pendulum in either orientation (ISO 179-1); PolyMax PC retains 9.2 kJ/m2 notched at -30 °C. Stratasys PC Black gives 85.3 MPa flexural strength at break in ZX against no break in XZ (ASTM D790, printed)[4][19][6] | Not documented |
| Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa | 37.1-45.3 at yield printed ZX (Stratasys PC Black and Red, ASTM D638); 41.4 (PolyMax) to 56 (Bambu Lab) printed Z; Prusa's interlayer adhesion test gives 21 +/- 2[4][19][5][6] | Not documented |
| Brittleness1–5 | Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[2][4] | Very ductile — bends far before failing[3] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Shore D 79 (Prusa Polymers method) and Shore D 79 on extruded PC stock (ASTM D2240); Rockwell 70 (118) — the source does not name the scales[4][21] | 70 Shore D (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 868), against 58 Shore D for the unfilled FLEX HARD[3] |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Excellent — holds load for years. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded PC was still running unbroken at 41 MPa when the experiment was stopped for time; specimens failed within the test window only at 47-52 MPa (ASTM D638)[22] | Below average — no CF-grade creep test; the grade is 70 Shore D where a 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[3][23] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Good[4][2] | Good — 380 % ultimate elongation and a damping application set (Extrudr cites longboard wheels), below the unfilled grades[3] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Rigid[1] | Semi-flexible[3] |
| Z strength as % of XY% | 59-73 (Stratasys PC Black and Red, ZX against XZ tensile yield, ASTM D638); 76 for PolyLite PC and 90 for Bambu Lab (printed Z against XY tensile)[5][1][6] | Not documented |
| Wear resistance & friction | Not documented | Abrasion 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 4649-A) — the same as the unfilled FLEX HARD[3] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | 110 (PolyMax PC-FR) to 114 (PolyMax PC), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Bambu Lab 112, PolyLite 111, Prusament 113. Stratasys FDM PC reaches 144 printed (ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi)[19][1][5][4][6] | Not documented |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 93 (Prusament) to 117 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; PolyLite 107, PolyMax 99. Stratasys FDM PC reaches 141 printed (ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi)[4][5][1][19][6] | Not documented |
| Glass transition (Tg)°C | 113 (Polymaker, DSC), 142.5 (Stratasys, ASTM D7426 inflection point) and 145 (Bambu Lab, DSC); Polymaker's material guide quotes 150[1][5][2][6] | -24 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 117–120 (Polymaker, ISO 306); decomposition above 360 °C[1][19] | Vicat A 140 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 306)[3] |
| Continuous service temperature°C | 113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend; extruded PC stock is rated 121 long term (converted from 250 °F)[4][21] | Not documented |
| Annealing response | 90 °C for 2 h (Polymaker)[1] | Not documented |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | 51.6 in XY over -50 to 30 °C, falling to 35.8 over 30-75 °C and 11.5 over 75-130 °C; 49.2 in XZ over -50 to 120 °C (printed, ASTM E831). Extruded PC stock gives 68.4 (ASTM D696)[6][21] | Not documented |
| Flammability / UL 94 | Flammable; no UL 94 rating on standard PC, though V-0 grades exist[24][1] | Not documented |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Degrades within weeks outdoors — unstabilised PC yellows and embrittles under UV[2] | Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[14] |
| Chemical resistance | Withstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[2] | Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[14] |
| Water / humidity resistance in service1–5 | Good — minor absorption[5] | Not documented |
| Food contact | Bisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[2] | Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[14] |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not biodegradable[2] | Not biodegradable[14] |
| Recyclability | Mechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[2] | Not accepted in household plastic collection[14] |
| Electrical & ESD properties | Surface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — an electrical insulator, which Polymaker lists as a headline advantage[20][2] | Not documented |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[25] | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[25] |
| 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[25] | Not documented |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[25][11] | Open a window / occasional ventilation[25] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Not documented | Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[3] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Sands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[17] | Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[14] |
| Painting & finishing | Optical clarity survives printing, so transparent parts are usually left unpainted[2] | Not documented |
| Gluing & solvent welding | Cyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[17] | Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[14] |
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | No practical vapour smoothing[17] | No practical vapour smoothing[14] |
| Support material pairing | Prints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[17] | Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[14] |
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | Warping is the dominant accuracy limit; light transmission 89 % on PolyLite PC (GB/T 2410)[1][2] | Tear strength 165 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 34-1B)[3] |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Dichloromethane, chloroform, DMF and dioxane dissolve it outright (Covestro, 6 days at 23 °C). Laboratory reagents.[26] | DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve the TPU matrix and leave the fibre; ketones are partial solvents. Laboratory reagents.[27] |
| Softened or crazed by | Methanol, butyl acetate, ether, 1 % NaOH and phthalate plasticisers stress-crack it; acetone, MEK and xylene swell it.[26] | Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[27] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | Dichloromethane cement welds PC — 16.5 MPa lap shear at one week (IPS Weld-On 3). A controlled carcinogen.[28] | None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[27] |
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
- PolyLite PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
- Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- PC (Polycarbonate) — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2026-04 · tds
- Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
- Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
- Extrudr TPU FLEX Hard CF — product page (1.75 mm, 0.5 and 2 kg coils, price) Extrudr (FD3D GmbH) · 2026-08 · vendor
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PC FR Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
- Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
- Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- PolyMax PC Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- ezPC Polycarbonate Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
- BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
- PolyMax PC-FR Technical Data Sheet V5.5 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
- 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
- Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
- Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
- Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds