3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PE vs PPS

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

Polyethylene (PE) guidePPS guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PE comparisonsMore PPS comparisons
PE vs PPS — documented properties and sources
PropertyPolyethylene (PE)POLYOLEFINPPSHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$87.72/kg median; $87.72–$87.72/kg across 1 dated product listings$116.97/kg median; $84.00–$200.00/kg across 3 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]Polyphenylene sulfide — a semi-crystalline high-temperature polymer[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]1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech) and 1.33 (ISO 1183, Spectrum PPS AM230)[3][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 88[6]1 kg-equivalent spools span 84–200; the middle of the market is about 117[7][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg87.72 — Spectrum's 500 g spools at 3DJAKE are the only PE filament listing found[6]84-200 across brands and diameters; IEMAI 3D 84 at 1 kg, Spectrum PPS AM230 117 at 750 g, 3DXTech ThermaX PPS 140 at 2.85 mm and 200 at 1.75 mm[7][8][9]
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[10][11][12][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 500 g spools in six colours[6][10]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 500 g and 750 g spools[7][8]
Typical applicationsChemically resistant containers, packaging prototypes and consumer goods where HDPE is the production material[1]Chemical-plant and under-bonnet parts needing solvent resistance above 200 °C[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C240-290 (Spectrum HDPE)[1]335-345 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); 300-330 (Spectrum)[3][5]
Bed temperature°C80-100 (Spectrum HDPE)[1]110-130 (3DXTech); 100-120 (Spectrum)[3][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Spectrum recommends a closed chamber for larger prints[1]Actively heated chamber required[13][14]
Recommended chamber temperature°CNot documented60-80 actively heated (Spectrum PPS AM230)[5]
Part cooling fan0-50 % part cooling (Spectrum HDPE)[1]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidSpectrum states no adhesive is necessary for its low-warp HDPE, depending on geometry[1]Adhesive required — Spectrum specifies Magigoo Pro HT[5]
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]Expert / industrial hardware only[13][14]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely — Spectrum states a ruby or hardened nozzle is not required[1]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[13]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[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 lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 110 °C pre-dry before every print[15]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no dry box[1]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Polymaker states minimal water absorption at 0.05 %[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.01 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570) — effectively non-absorbing[16]
Drying temperature & timeNo drying step published; Spectrum lists a dry box as not required[1]At least 3 h at 90 °C in hot dry air if the filament has taken up moisture (Spectrum)[5]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot applicable in practice — Spectrum lists very low moisture absorption and no drybox requirement for HDPE[1]Little to measure — equilibrium uptake is 0.05 %; 3DXTech still specifies a 110 °C, 4 h pre-dry before printing[4][15]
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]50 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 65 at break injection-moulded (ISO 527, Spectrum); 94 at yield on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[3][5][16]
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]2650 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 3650 injection-moulded (ISO 527, Spectrum); 5769 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[3][5][16]
Elongation at break%18 at break (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 527) against above 100 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[1][2]18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) against 2.0 injection-moulded (Spectrum) and 2.5 on extruded stock — the suppliers disagree by nearly an order of magnitude[3][5][16]
Flexural strengthMPa27.6 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4000 psi)[2]52 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech); 141 on extruded stock (ASTM D790)[3][16]
Flexural modulusMPa3200 (Spectrum HDPE, ISO 178) against 965 on extruded stock (ASTM D790, from 140,000 psi)[1][2]2540 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented1.3 notched injection-moulded (ISO 179-1eA, Spectrum); unnotched 18[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]Izod notched 33 J/m on extruded PPS stock, converted from 0.62 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[16]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking; 18 % elongation at break on the filament and above 100 % on extruded stock[1][2]Moderate[3]
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]Rockwell 105 (and R124) on extruded PPS stock (ASTM D785)[16]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedExcellent — holds load for years. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PPS stock, and Spectrum states that rigidity, strength and creep resistance are unchanged under continuous load at high temperature[16][5]
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]Not documented
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]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C75 on extruded HDPE stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 167 °F)[2]90 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 129 injection-moulded (ISO 75, Spectrum); 204 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[3][5][16]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented107 injection-moulded (ISO 75 at 1.81 MPa, Spectrum); 104 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[5][16]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented283 melting (ISO 11357, 3DXTech) and 280 on extruded stock; Vicat softening 236 at 50 N injection-moulded (ISO 306, Spectrum)[3][5][16]
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]170 long-term service on extruded PPS stock, converted from 338 °F[16]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K117 (extruded HDPE stock, ASTM D696; source states 6.5e-5 in/in/°F)[2]59.4 (extruded PPS stock, 22-60 °C, ASTM D696; source states 3.3e-5 in/in/°F)[16]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[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]Not documented
Chemical resistanceExcellent chemical resistance to acids, bases, oils and solvents (Spectrum); Ensinger lists broad chemical compatibility for HDPE stock[1][2]Outstanding — PPS resists essentially all solvents below 200 °C[4]
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]Excellent — essentially unaffected; extruded stock takes up 0.01 % water in 24 h[16]
RecyclabilitySpectrum states the filament is fully recyclable; HDPE is resin code 2[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Not documentedModerate — 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[17]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Not documentedVentilated room or enclosure recommended[17]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningEasy to machine — Ensinger lists machinability as a headline property of HDPE stock[2]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailSpectrum lists a shiny surface finish and no adhesive requirement; shrinkage remains the limit on large flat parts[1]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone at room temperature; xylene dissolves HDPE at about 105 °C and LDPE at 75 °C. Hot decalin does the same.[18][19]None — PPS does not dissolve in any known solvent below 200 °C.[20][21]
Softened or crazed byToluene, xylene, styrene, chloroform, dichloromethane, MEK and trichloroethylene are all unsatisfactory at 21 °C.[19]Nothing at 23 °C; Ensinger rates it only conditionally resistant to benzene, dichloromethane, toluene and pyridine.[21]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — polyethylene has no room-temperature solvent, so joints are made by heat welding.[19][18]None — no solvent welds or smooths PPS.[20]

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. ThermaX PPS Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PPS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  5. Spectrum PPS AM230 Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2022-04 · tds
  6. Spectrum HDPE Traffic Black, 1.75 mm / 500 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Spectrum PPS AM230 Natural, 1.75 mm / 750 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI 3D PPS 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3DJAKE product catalogue 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. igo3d product sitemap (17452 product URLs) igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  14. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  15. THERMAX PPS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  16. TECATRON natural (PPS) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  17. 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
  18. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  19. HDPE Chemical Resistance Guide (21 °C and 60 °C) INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA · 2026-08 · tds
  20. PPS (Polyphenylene sulfide) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds