3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PCTG vs PE

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

PCTG guidePolyethylene (PE) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PCTG comparisonsMore PE comparisons
PCTG vs PE — documented properties and sources
PropertyPCTGPETGPolyethylene (PE)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$34.99/kg median; $14.00–$50.67/kg across 5 dated product listings$87.72/kg median; $87.72–$87.72/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) glycol — a copolyester with a higher cyclohexanedimethanol content than PETG[1][2]Polyethylene — the simplest polyolefin, non-polar and highly crystalline. The one retailed filament grade, Spectrum HDPE, uses what Spectrum calls Low Warp technology and is denser and stiffer than plain HDPE[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.23 (Extrudr, ASTM D792; 3DXTech, ISO 1183)[2][5]1.10 (Spectrum HDPE filament, ISO 1183) against 0.95 for extruded HDPE stock — the filament is a modified formulation[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 34[6][5][7]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 88[8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg14–51 across brands; CHCKX 14 in a 10-roll bundle, Push Plastic 30, Proto-pasta 35 at 1 kg, 3DXTech 51[6][5][9]87.72 — Spectrum's 500 g spools at 3DJAKE are the only PE filament listing found[8]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][5][7][10]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Spectrum HDPE in six colours is the only PE filament in the 3DJAKE and igo3d product sitemaps, at MatterHackers or at Printed Solid, but it is a normal stocked item rather than a special order[11][12][13][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1, 3 and 5 kg spools[6][7][5]1.75 mm; 500 g spools in six colours[8][11]
Typical applicationsTransparent covers, guards and impact-loaded parts where PETG cracks[1][2]Chemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–270 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[1][2]240-290 (Spectrum HDPE)[3]
Bed temperature°C60–100 (Spectrum)[1]80-100 (Spectrum HDPE)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine — Spectrum and Extrudr both say a closed chamber is not necessary, Extrudr adds it helps on larger parts[1][2]Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints[3]
Part cooling fanUp to 100 % (Spectrum); 20–50 % (Extrudr)[1][2]0-50 % part cooling (Spectrum HDPE)[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[14][15]Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary for its low-warp HDPE, depending on geometry[3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s1.6–16 at the 20–200 mm/s Extrudr rates the material for, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2][16]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — needs adhesion aid or draught shield. Spectrum's low-warp grade is sold as printable on desktop machines, which is not true of plain polyethylene[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[14][15]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive; Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary but recommends a closed chamber for large parts[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[15]Not documented
Shrinkage%0.2–0.5 (Extrudr, ASTM D955)[2]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning[1][2]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; Spectrum sells the grade as desktop-printable with no dry box and no hardened nozzle[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely — Extrudr explicitly states no hardened nozzle is needed[2]Brass fine indefinitely — Spectrum states a ruby or hardened nozzle is not required[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[2]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for PCTG, only a 65 °C pre-dry[17]Low — Spectrum lists no drybox and no ruby or hardened nozzle for HDPE, and very low moisture absorption[3]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[18]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[18]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the copolyester matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 65 °C, 4 h pre-dry[14][17]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no dry box[3]
Drying temperature & timeNot documentedNo drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required[3]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[19]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[19]Not applicable in practice — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no drybox requirement for HDPE[3]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[19][15]Store dry at 18-25 °C out of sunlight; Spectrum quotes a 24-month shelf life[3]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa43–44 at yield and 45–46 at break (ISO 527, injection-moulded resin data from Spectrum and Extrudr); 48 on My Tech Fun printed bars[1][2][20]29 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527; specimen type not stated) against 25.5 at yield on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 3700 psi)[3][4]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented3500 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against 965 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 140,000 psi) — the filament grade is nearly four times stiffer than plain polyethylene[3][4]
Elongation at break%215–220 at break on moulded specimens (ISO 527); 4.3–4.4 at yield[1][2]18 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against above 100 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented27.6 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4000 psi)[4]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented3200 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 178) against 965 on extruded stock (ASTM D790, from 140,000 psi)[3][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²93–94 notched Izod at 23 °C on moulded specimens (ISO 180); 3DXTech quotes 8 by ISO 180/A[1][2][5]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod 4.14 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars, against 3.37 for PETG on the same rig[20]Charpy 10 kJ/m2 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 179-1; notch condition not stated); Izod 104 J/m on extruded stock, converted from 1.94 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[3][4]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21.6 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm printed bars, against 32.9 for PETG[20]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; 18 % elongation at break on the filament and above 100 % on extruded stock[3][4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell69 Shore D measured by My Tech Fun, against 72 for PETG[20]Shore D 67 and Rockwell R54 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D2240, D785); Spectrum quotes Rockwell 80 HRM for its filament (ISO 2039-2)[4][3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 19.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, slightly worse than PETG's 18.2[20]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good — 215 % elongation at break and 94 kJ/m² notched Izod on moulded specimens (Extrudr, Spectrum)[1][2]Good — Spectrum lists outstanding abrasion and crack resistance for its HDPE, but no repeated-flex or fatigue test data was found for any PE filament[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[20]Slightly flexible in thin sections — Spectrum's low-warp grade has a 3.5 GPa tensile modulus; plain extruded HDPE at 965 MPa is genuinely semi-flexible[3][4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented75 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 167 °F)[4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C78 (3DXTech, DSC)[5]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 88 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[1][2]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C68 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature, against 65 for PETG[20]110 stated as heat resistance by Spectrum with no test standard given; extruded stock is rated 120 long-term maximum (converted from 248 °F) and brittle below -76[3][4]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented117 (extruded HDPE stock, ASTM D696; source states 6.5e-5 in/in/°F)[4]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard grades[21]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedModerate — a season or two. Spectrum describes its HDPE as UV-stable and weather-resistant but publishes no exposure data[3]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[15]Excellent chemical resistance to acids, bases, oils and solvents (Spectrum); Ensinger lists broad chemical compatibility for HDPE stock[3][4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; Spectrum describes the polymer as hydrophobic[1]Excellent — essentially unaffected; Ensinger lists low moisture absorption for HDPE stock and Spectrum very low absorption for the filament[3][4]
Food contactNot certified for food contact as filament[15]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[15]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[15]Spectrum states the filament is fully recyclable; HDPE is resin code 2[3]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[5]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[22]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[22]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[18]Easy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of HDPE stock[4]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[18]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[18]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[18]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailOptical clarity is the selling point; Extrudr recommends a layer height at most 50 % of nozzle diameter[2]Spectrum lists a shiny surface finish and no adhesive requirement; shrinkage remains the limit on large flat parts[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; Eastman's CHDM copolyester data shows 1,2-dichloroethane destroying it within a week.[23]None at room temperature; xylene dissolves HDPE at about 105 °C and LDPE at 75 °C. Hot decalin does the same.[24][25]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften the copolyester; methanol crazes it (Eastman, 1 y at 23 °C).[23]Toluene, xylene, styrene, chloroform, dichloromethane, MEK and trichloroethylene are all unsatisfactory at 21 °C.[25]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[26]None — polyethylene has no room-temperature solvent, so joints are made by heat welding.[25][24]

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. Spectrum Premium PCTG Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Extrudr PCTG technical data Extrudr · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Spectrum HDPE Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2025-10 · tds
  4. TECAFINE HDPE natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  5. MAX-G PCTG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Spectrum HDPE Traffic Black, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. CHCKX 10KG Multicolor PCTG Filament bundle CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Atomic Filament product catalogue Atomic Filament · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  15. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. MAX-G PCTG — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  22. 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
  23. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  24. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  25. HDPE Chemical Resistance Guide (21 °C and 60 °C) INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc