3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG vs PP-CF

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

PETG guideCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG comparisonsMore PP-CF comparisons
PETG vs PP-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPETGPETGCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 dated product listings$107.68/kg median; $57.13–$120.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[1][2]Polypropylene reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][2][5][6]0.91 (Prusament PP Carbon Fiber, ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 20[7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools span 57–138; the middle of the market is about 108[10][11][12]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg12–70 across brands; IEMAI 12, ELEGOO 14, CHCKX 14, Bambu Lab 18–20, Hatchbox 26, Prusament 38, Prusament PETG V0 70[7][8][13][9][14][15]57–138 across brands; Reli3D 57 at 700 g on Amazon, Prusament 108 direct from Prusa and 138 at Printed Solid, 3DXTech CarbonX PP+CF 120[10][9][11][12]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[7][8][16][9]Available from several mainstream brands[11][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[8][9]1.75 mm; 0.65 kg spools[9][11]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[1][2]Lightweight chemical-resistant parts, automotive clips and ducting that must survive above 150 °C[17]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament)[1]±0.04 (Prusament)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–260 across brands; Prusament 250 ± 10, Polymaker 240–260[1][2][6]270 ± 10 (Prusament)[3]
Bed temperature°C60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[1][6]85 ± 10 (Prusament)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[6]Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[18][19]
Part cooling fanAround 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[1][6]Off — Prusa runs 0 % except 100 % on bridges[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets. On smooth PEI a glue stick is used as a release agent, not an adhesive — PETG bonds to bare PEI hard enough to tear the sheet[1][6]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s8–15 (PrusaSlicer guidance); My Tech Fun ran Bambu Lab PETG Basic at 13 mm³/s[20][21]3.2 at Prusa's 40 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3][20]
Warping tendency1–5Slight — corner lift on large flat parts[1][6]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a brim[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[1]Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[1][6]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning[6]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedPrusa states a hardened nozzle is necessary and recommends a brim[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[20]Hardened steel required — Prusa states plainly that a hardened nozzle is necessary[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[6]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle[22][23]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[4][24]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[22]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[22]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — Bambu Lab reports 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; Prusa measures only 0.07 % in 24 h and 0.10 % in 7 days at the drier 22 % RH[1][25]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Prusa measures 0.03 % in 24 h and 0.04 % in 7 days on its PP composite, the lowest figures it publishes for any filament[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers); 0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1][25]0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[3]
Drying temperature & time60–65 °C for 6–8 h[6][25]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[1]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic and shows a before-and-after-drying comparison; the loss appears as poor layer adhesion and weak, brittle layers rather than a published dry-versus-conditioned figure[26]Not applicable in practice at 0.04 % equilibrium uptake[3]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[26][27]No special storage needed[3]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa38–51 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 47 ± 2 at yield; 62 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[1][2][5][28]21 ± 0.4 filament tensile yield (Prusament, ISO 527)[3]
Young's modulusMPa1500–2311 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][2][5][6]Not documented
Elongation at break%5.2–9.3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 5.1 at yield[2][5][6][1]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa58–80 (printed XY, ISO 178); Prusament 66 ± 2[1][2][5][6]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa1068–2277 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1][2][5][6]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²2.6 (PolyLite) to 11.6 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 6 ± 1[2][5][1]14.5 ± 0.3 printed horizontal and 10.5 ± 0.8 printed vertical XZ (ISO 179-1, notched)[3]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched does not break on Prusa's 4 J pendulum (ISO 179-1); Izod 3.37 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars[1][28]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa18 ± 4 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 42.8 printed Z for PolyLite PETG; 33 on My Tech Fun bars[1][2][28]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1][2]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell74 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method); measured on printed bars at 68.2 for Extrudr PETG, 72 for Fiberlogy PETG and 72.8 for Prusament PETG[1][28][29][30]Rockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded unfilled PP stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre PP filament[31]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 18.2 mm (Fiberlogy) and 19.4 mm (Bambu Lab Basic) over 5 days at 1.25 kg[28][21]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, about three times printed PLA (R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[32]Good[33]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[3]
Z strength as % of XY%84 (PolyLite, printed Z against XY tensile)[2]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C68 (Prusament) to 78 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2][6]158 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — far above unfilled PP and above most engineering filaments[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[1][2][6]115 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C71–81 (DSC)[2][5][6]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 75–84 (ISO 306)[2][5][6]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C61–66 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across six grades from four brands; Prusa publishes 68 for Prusament PETG[28][29][30][21][34]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[35]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[36][27]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Moderate — a season or two[1]Not documented
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[27]Excellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents[19]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption[1]Excellent — essentially unaffected[3]
Food contactPET is the polymer of drinks bottles, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria and no filament here carries a food-contact certification[27]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[27]Not documented
RecyclabilityPET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[27]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[37]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission. Inferred: no polyolefin was among the nine filaments in the Azimi chamber study, so this is a family-level judgement rather than a measurement[37]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈5 × 10⁹ median for the PET-based T-Glase filament in the same chamber study, against ≈1 × 10⁸ for PLA[37]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[37]Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[37]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[22]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[1]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[22]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[1]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[22]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailStringing and blobbing are the usual accuracy limits, not shrinkage[1][6]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[38][39]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves the matrix at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C, leaving the fibre.[40][41]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[38]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[40]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[39]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[40]

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. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  2. PolyLite PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  4. CarbonX PP+CF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. PolyMax PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Polymaker PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  7. PETG Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Black 650g — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PP Filament 1.75 mm 700 g Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Black PETG Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg — product data Hatchbox · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. IEMAI PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. CHCKX PETG 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg, Black CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  28. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  33. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  34. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  35. 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
  36. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  37. 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
  38. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  39. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  40. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  41. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper