3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PE vs PLA Glow

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

Polyethylene (PE) guideGlow-in-the-dark PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PE comparisonsMore PLA Glow comparisons
PE vs PLA Glow — documented properties and sources
PropertyPolyethylene (PE)POLYOLEFINGlow-in-the-dark PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$87.72/kg median; $87.72–$87.72/kg across 1 dated product listings$24.99/kg median; $19.99–$49.16/kg across 5 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]PLA with a phosphorescent additive at 2–20 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS, filler not named)[3]
Densityg/cm³1.10 (Spectrum HDPE filament, ISO 1183) against 0.95 for extruded HDPE stock — the filament is a modified formulation[1][2]1.24 (colorFabb) to 1.26 (Bambu Lab), ISO 1183[4][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 88[6]1 kg spools cluster near 25[7][8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg87.72 — Spectrum's 500 g spools at 3DJAKE are the only PE filament listing found[6]20–49 across brands; ELEGOO 20, Bambu Lab 25, Polymaker 25, Filament PM 49 on 0.5 kg spools[9][7][8][10]
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[11][12][13][6]Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][8][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 500 g spools in six colours[6][11]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[14][5]
Typical applicationsChemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material[1]Signage, novelty and cosplay parts that glow after light exposure[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C240-290 (Spectrum HDPE)[1]190–230 on the Bambu Lab TDS against 210–240 in its own material table; colorFabb advises 195–220[4][15][5]
Bed temperature°C80-100 (Spectrum HDPE)[1]35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–60 (colorFabb)[4][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints[1]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fan0-50 % part cooling (Spectrum HDPE)[1]Fan on; colorFabb allows 0–100 %[4][5]
Bed surface & adhesion aidSpectrum states no adhesive is necessary for its low-warp HDPE, depending on geometry[1]Not documented
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]Not documented
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]Easy — minor profile tuning; a hardened nozzle is mandatory[15][8]
Extruder requirementNot documentedBambu Lab: hardened steel and high-flow nozzles only, 0.2 mm excluded, AMS lite not compatible[15]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely — Spectrum states a ruby or hardened nozzle is not required[1]Hardened steel required[15][8][5]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Highly abrasive — the phosphor is a hard ceramic; Bambu Lab groups glow with carbon fibre as the materials that wear nozzles and grind AMS PTFE, and both Bambu Lab and Polymaker require a hardened nozzle[15][5]
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[15]
Hotend requirementNot documentedHardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists glow-in-the-dark among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[16][15]
Other hardware wearNot documentedBambu Lab reports the filament adds enough feeding resistance to fail prints on the AMS lite; colorFabb warns of brass nozzle wear[15][5]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no dry box[1]Moderate — 0.46 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.46 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[4]
Drying temperature & timeNo drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required[1]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthNot applicable in practice — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no drybox requirement for HDPE[1]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[17]
Storage requirementStore dry at 18-25 °C out of sunlight; Spectrum quotes a 24-month shelf life[1]Not documented
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]32 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb quotes 61.5 by ISO 527 on its own specimens[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]2030 ± 210 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 2960[4][5]
Elongation at break%18 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against above 100 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[1][2]8.6 ± 1.2 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 10.5 at break[4][5]
Flexural strengthMPa27.6 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4000 psi)[2]76 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[4]
Flexural modulusMPa3200 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 178) against 965 on extruded stock (ASTM D790, from 140,000 psi)[1][2]2640 ± 130 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 3295[4][5]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented2.8 (colorFabb, ISO 179-1/1eA) and 8.8 ± 1.7 (Bambu Lab, ISO 179) printed XY, notched[4][5]
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 27.3 (Bambu Lab) and 30.8 (colorFabb), printed, ISO 179[4][5]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented26 ± 3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[4]
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[4]
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]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — no glow-grade creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[18][19][20]
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]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and the glow filler leaves a brittle, highly abrasive compound[21][4]
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[4]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented81 by tensile, 72 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C75 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 167 °F)[2]55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented52 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[4]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented55 (DSC)[4]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented155 peak melt (DSC); colorFabb quotes above 155 by ISO 3146-C[4][5]
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]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K117 (extruded HDPE stock, ASTM D696; source states 6.5e-5 in/in/°F)[2]Not documented
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]Degrades within weeks outdoors[22]
Chemical resistanceExcellent chemical resistance to acids, bases, oils and solvents (Spectrum); Ensinger lists broad chemical compatibility for HDPE stock[1][2]Not documented
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
RecyclabilitySpectrum states the filament is fully recyclable; HDPE is resin code 2[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Not documentedLow hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[23]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Not documentedNone needed in a normal room[23]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningEasy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of HDPE stock[2]Not documented
Support material pairingNot documentedSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailSpectrum lists a shiny surface finish and no adhesive requirement; shrinkage remains the limit on large flat parts[1]Glow brightness rises with wall thickness; 0.2 mm nozzles are not usable[15]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone at room temperature; xylene dissolves HDPE at about 105 °C and LDPE at 75 °C. Hot decalin does the same.[24][25]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[26]
Softened or crazed byToluene, xylene, styrene, chloroform, dichloromethane, MEK and trichloroethylene are all unsatisfactory at 21 °C.[25]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[26][27]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — polyethylene has no room-temperature solvent, so joints are made by heat welding.[25][24]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[28][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

  1. Spectrum HDPE Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2025-10 · tds
  2. TECAFINE HDPE natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Safety Data Sheet SDS20251127A12 — Bambu PLA Glow Bambu Lab · 2025-11 · msds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Glow Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. glowFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Spectrum HDPE Traffic Black, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. PLA Glow — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Panchroma Luminous PLA — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Filament PM PLA GlowJet technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  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. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  20. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  22. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. 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
  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. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  27. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper