3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG-GF vs TPE SEBS

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

Glass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF) guideTPE (SEBS) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG-GF comparisonsMore TPE SEBS comparisons
PETG-GF vs TPE SEBS — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF)PETGTPE (SEBS)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$27.38/kg median; $18.99–$29.99/kg across 3 dated product listings$98.25/kg median; $76.50–$120.00/kg across 2 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryGlass-fibre reinforced polyester. Polymaker's Fiberon PET-GF15 uses a PET rather than a PETG matrix and carries 15 wt% glass fibre[1]Styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomer — a styrenic rubber, not a polyurethane[2]
Densityg/cm³1.43 (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 1183)[1]1.044 printed part density (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 1183-1) — the lightest elastomer here[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 25[3][4]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 77[5]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg19–30 across brands; ELEGOO 19, Polymaker Fiberon 30[3][4]77 for the Recreus 600 g spool; Proto-pasta only lists a 50 g coil, which prices at 120[5][6]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][4]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2][6][5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05 and 0.6 kg spools[2][5]
Typical applicationsStiff, dimensionally stable fixtures; the Fiberon grade is designed to be annealed for heat resistance[1]Soft-touch overmoulds and skin-contact parts where a non-polyurethane elastomer is wanted[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented260–280 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A) — far hotter than any TPU here[2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented70–90 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Not documentedOpen frame is fine[2]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[7][8]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[9][10]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented0.8–2.4 at the 10–30 mm/s BASF specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer — the slowest material in this group[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[7][8]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[8]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedAdvanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[2]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzle 0.4 mm or larger; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely[11]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[1]Non-abrasive[11]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[12]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates on flexibles most likely end in a jam[9][2]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[13]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[13]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[9]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the PETG matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; no glass-filled grade publishes its own figure[7]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — BASF states drying is not necessary, unique among the elastomers here[2]
Drying temperature & timeNot documentedNone — BASF states Ultrafuse TPS 90A arrives in a printable condition and drying is not necessary[2]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[14]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[14]
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[14]Not applicable — the SEBS chemistry has no amide or ester linkages to take up water, and BASF specifies no drying at all[2]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[14][8]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[14]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa59.9 ± 0.8 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa4144 ± 133 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%4.0 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa104.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa3705 ± 85 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²8.7 ± 0.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 27.2 ± 2.0 printed XY (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 179)[1]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa48.2 ± 0.3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation 4.0 % in XY and 2.6 % in Z[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented89 Shore A and 29 Shore D (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 7619-1)[2]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — no GF-grade creep test; the CF grades sagged to 14.8–16.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg against 17.1–20.4 mm unfilled[15][16][17]Poor — no SEBS creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[18]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no GF-grade S-N curve; elongation at break falls to 4.0 % in XY against 5.2–9.3 % unfilled[1][19]Excellent — living hinges viable[10]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[2]
Z strength as % of XY%80 (Fiberon PET-GF15, printed Z against XY tensile)[1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 111 mm³ (ISO 4649) — the poorest abrasion resistance in this group, well behind TPU[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C81.6 as printed, 133.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C71.8 as printed, 87.3 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C59.5 (DSC)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C231.6 melting (DSC); Vicat 232.6 (ISO 306)[1]242–249 melting (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 11357-3)[2]
Annealing responseAnnealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 81.6 to 133.7 °C[1]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K20 along the print bead and 63–74 in the build direction at 30 °C (30 wt% GF, large-format printed, TMA)[20]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 HB at 1.5 mm (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[10]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[8]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[10]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[2]
Food contactNot certified for food contact as filament[8]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[10]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[8]Not biodegradable[10]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[8]Not accepted in household plastic collection[10]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Fiberon PET-GF15, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[21]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[21]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[21]Open a window / occasional ventilation[21]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[13]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[10]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[13]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[10]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[13]No practical vapour smoothing[10]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[13]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[10]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the matrix surface, 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it in a week.[22][23]Toluene dissolves SEBS at room temperature — Kraton quotes solution viscosity at 25 % mass in toluene, 25 °C.[24]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[22]Soaking in hydrocarbon solvents and oils deteriorates it; short exposures are tolerated. Resists water, acids and bases.[24]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane reaches only the resin, so the fibre is left standing proud of the surface. Controlled carcinogen.[23]Toluene will weld it, though the joint stays soft; no workshop-safe agent, and vapour smoothing is not practical.[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. Fiberon PET-GF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.0 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Ultrafuse TPS 90A Technical Data Sheet (Version 1.1, SEBS) BASF Forward AM · 2020-12 · tds
  3. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  8. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  9. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  12. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  16. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  17. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  19. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  20. Effects of Fiber Orientation on the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Fiber-Filled Polymer Systems in Large Format Polymer Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Materials 15(8):2764 · 2022-04 · paper
  21. 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
  22. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  23. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  24. KRATON polymers Grade Range — chemical resistance and toluene solution data Kraton Corporation · 2025-07 · tds