3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PE vs PETG-CF

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

Polyethylene (PE) guideCarbon-fibre PETG (PETG-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PE comparisonsMore PETG-CF comparisons
PE vs PETG-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPolyethylene (PE)POLYOLEFINCarbon-fibre PETG (PETG-CF)PETG
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$87.72/kg median; $87.72–$87.72/kg across 1 dated product listings$29.99/kg median; $16.00–$74.22/kg across 11 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyethylene — 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[1][2]PETG reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.10 (Spectrum HDPE filament, ISO 1183) against 0.95 for extruded HDPE stock — the filament is a modified formulation[1][2]1.25 (Bambu Lab) to 1.34 (3DXTech), ISO 1183; Prusament 1.27[3][5][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 88[6]1 kg-equivalent spools span 16–74; the middle of the market is about 29[3][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg87.72 — Spectrum's 500 g spools at 3DJAKE are the only PE filament listing found[6]16–74 across brands; ELEGOO 16 in a 5 kg pack, Reli3D 17, SUNLU 20, IEMAI 22, Siraya Tech 25, Bambu Lab 32, Sakata 3D 53, 3DXTech 67, Prusament 70, Filament PM 74 on 0.5 kg spools[14][3][15][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
Market availability1–5Niche, 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[16][17][7][6]Stocked by most mainstream brands[3][15][7][14]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 500 g spools in six colours[6][16]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[15][3]
Typical applicationsChemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material[1]Stiff functional parts and fixtures where PETG's toughness is traded for rigidity and a matte finish[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament)[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C240-290 (Spectrum HDPE)[1]240–270 (Bambu Lab); 265 ± 10 (Prusament)[3][4]
Bed temperature°C80-100 (Spectrum HDPE)[1]65–75 (Bambu Lab); 90 ± 10 (Prusament)[3][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints[1]Open frame fine; draught shield helps — Bambu Lab specifies a 35–50 °C chamber[3]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented35–50 (Bambu Lab)[3]
Part cooling fan0-50 % part cooling (Spectrum HDPE)[1]0–60 % (Bambu Lab); 50 % (Prusament)[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidSpectrum states no adhesive is necessary for its low-warp HDPE, depending on geometry[1]Textured PEI or engineering plate with glue (Bambu Lab)[3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented11.5 on My Tech Fun's Bambu Lab PETG-CF profile[18]
Warping tendency1–5Moderate — 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[1]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive; Spectrum states no adhesive is necessary but recommends a closed chamber for large parts[1]Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedSlight — the fibre reduces stringing against unfilled PETG[3][19]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; Spectrum sells the grade as desktop-printable with no dry box and no hardened nozzle[1]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely — Spectrum states a ruby or hardened nozzle is not required[1]Hardened steel required[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — Spectrum lists no drybox and no ruby or hardened nozzle for HDPE, and very low moisture absorption[1]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[20][21]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedSlightly sensitive[19]
Hotend requirementNot documentedHardened steel nozzle; no high-temperature hot-end needed[3][19]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no dry box[1]Low — 0.30 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.30 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); Prusa measures 0.10 after 7 days at 22 % RH[3][4]
Drying temperature & timeNo drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required[1]65 °C for 8 h (Bambu Lab)[3]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot applicable in practice — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no drybox requirement for HDPE[1]No dry-versus-conditioned figures published; Bambu Lab states PETG-CF must be properly dried before printing and stored dry after use[3][22]
Storage requirementStore dry at 18-25 °C out of sunlight; Spectrum quotes a 24-month shelf life[1]Sealed with desiccant; Bambu Lab says store dry after use[3][22]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa29 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527; specimen type not stated) against 25.5 at yield on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D638, from 3700 psi)[1][2]35 ± 5 (Bambu Lab) and 47 ± 2 at yield (Prusament) printed XY, ISO 527; 56 at break for 3DXTech[3][4][5]
Young's modulusMPa3500 (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[1][2]2460 ± 230 (Bambu Lab) and 1700 (Prusament) printed XY, ISO 527[3][4]
Elongation at break%18 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against above 100 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[1][2]4.3 at yield (Prusament, printed XY, ISO 527); 3 at break for 3DXTech[4][5]
Flexural strengthMPa27.6 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4000 psi)[2]68 ± 3 printed horizontal, ISO 178 (Prusament)[4]
Flexural modulusMPa3200 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 178) against 965 on extruded stock (ASTM D790, from 140,000 psi)[1][2]2300 printed horizontal, 3100 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament)[4]
Other impact dataCharpy 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)[1][2]Charpy unnotched 29 ± 6 printed horizontal and 43 ± 8 printed vertical (Prusament, ISO 179-1); Izod 4.91 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun bars[4][18]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented29 ± 4 printed Z (Bambu Lab, ISO 527); 18 ± 3 by Prusa's interlayer adhesion test; 10.7 on My Tech Fun bars[3][4][18]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; 18 % elongation at break on the filament and above 100 % on extruded stock[1][2]Brittle — snaps with little warning[5]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellShore D 67 and Rockwell R54 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D2240, D785); Spectrum quotes Rockwell 80 HRM for its filament (ISO 2039-2)[2][1]77 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method)[4]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedBelow average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 16.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, less than plain PETG's 19.4[18]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good — Spectrum lists outstanding abrasion and crack resistance for its HDPE, but no repeated-flex or fatigue test data was found for any PE filament[1]Moderate — no CF-grade S-N curve; unfilled printed PETG ran 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[23]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly 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[1][2]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented83 (Bambu Lab, printed Z against XY tensile)[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C75 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 167 °F)[2]74 (Bambu Lab) and 96 (Prusament), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[3][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented68 (Bambu Lab) and 80 (Prusament), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[3][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented68 (Bambu Lab) and 80 (3DXTech), DSC[3][5]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented225 melting (Bambu Lab, DSC) — the carbon fibre lets the PET fraction crystallise[3]
Continuous service temperature°C110 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[1][2]77 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature, against 61 for Bambu Lab PETG Basic[18]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K117 (extruded HDPE stock, ASTM D696; source states 6.5e-5 in/in/°F)[2]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Moderate — a season or two. Spectrum describes its HDPE as UV-stable and weather-resistant but publishes no exposure data[1]Moderate — a season or two; the carbon fibre does not add UV stabilisation[24]
Chemical resistanceExcellent chemical resistance to acids, bases, oils and solvents (Spectrum); Ensinger lists broad chemical compatibility for HDPE stock[1][2]Withstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure, as for unfilled PETG[24]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; Ensinger lists low moisture absorption for HDPE stock and Spectrum very low absorption for the filament[1][2]Not documented
Food contactNot documentedNot certified for food contact[24]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[24]
RecyclabilitySpectrum states the filament is fully recyclable; HDPE is resin code 2[1]Fibre-filled PETG is not accepted in household plastic collection[24]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10⁹ ohm/sq — carbon fibre at this loading is not static-dissipative (3DXTech)[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Not documentedModerate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[25]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Not documentedOpen a window / occasional ventilation[25]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[5]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningEasy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of HDPE stock[2]Sands to a matte finish more readily than unfilled PETG[19]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds it[19]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[19]
Support material pairingNot documentedSupport for PLA or its own material (Bambu Lab)[3]
Dimensional accuracy & detailSpectrum lists a shiny surface finish and no adhesive requirement; shrinkage remains the limit on large flat parts[1]Matte finish hides layer lines; stringing is reduced against unfilled PETG[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone at room temperature; xylene dissolves HDPE at about 105 °C and LDPE at 75 °C. Hot decalin does the same.[26][27]No common workshop solvent; dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the matrix surface, 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it in a week.[28][29]
Softened or crazed byToluene, xylene, styrene, chloroform, dichloromethane, MEK and trichloroethylene are all unsatisfactory at 21 °C.[27]Acetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — polyethylene has no room-temperature solvent, so joints are made by heat welding.[27][26]Dichloromethane reaches only the resin, so the fibre is left standing proud of the surface. Controlled carcinogen.[29]

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 HDPE Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2025-10 · tds
  2. TECAFINE HDPE natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Prusament PETG Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  5. CarbonX Carbon Fiber PETG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Spectrum HDPE Traffic Black, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. SUNLU PETG-CF (PETG Carbon Fiber) 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Fibreheart PETG-CF Pro Filament product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. IEMAI CF-PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PETG Filament 1.75 mm, 1 kg Reli3D (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PET-G CF15 Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Filament PM CFJet technical data sheet (TDS CFJet ENG.pdf) Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  14. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. CARBONX PETG+CF — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  24. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. 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
  26. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  27. HDPE Chemical Resistance Guide (21 °C and 60 °C) INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc