3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG vs PVA

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

PETG guidePVA (soluble support) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG comparisonsMore PVA comparisons
PETG vs PVA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPETGPETGPVA (soluble support)SUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 dated product listings$65.98/kg median; $42.00–$96.00/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[1][2]Polyvinyl alcohol — a water-soluble support polymer[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][2][5][6]0.6–0.9 (3DXTech AquaTek, ISO 1183) and 1.13 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 20[7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools span 42–96; the middle of the market is about 66[10][8][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]42–96 across brands; IEMAI 3D E-WATER 42, YXPOLYER 55, Reli3D 66 at 500 g, Polymaker PolyDissolve S1 67 at 750 g, 3DXTech AquaTek 96 at 750 g in 1.75 mm[10][8][11][16][12]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[7][8][17][9]Stocked by most mainstream brands[10][8][11][16][12]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[8][9]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[10][8]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[1][2]Dissolvable support for PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG — Polymaker names those four for PolyDissolve S1[4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–260 across brands; Prusament 250 ± 10, Polymaker 240–260[1][2][6]215–225 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Bed temperature°C60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[1][6]25–60 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[6]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanAround 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[1][6]Part cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[18]
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]PEI sheet or painter's tape[18]
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[19][20]4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4]
Warping tendency1–5Slight — corner lift on large flat parts[1][6]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[1]Sticks to most surfaces[18]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[1][6]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[18]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning[6]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; PVA is unusable once it has taken up moisture[21][4]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer; PVA is a support material, not a model material[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[19]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[6]Non-abrasive[4]
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]Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet PVA foams and carbonises in the nozzle[21]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[22]High — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; Simplify3D warns PVA clogs if the nozzle is left hot while not extruding[18]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[22]No special hot-end required, but the nozzle must not be parked hot[18]
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][24]Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker measures 10.21 % equilibrium water absorption, by far the highest in the dataset[4]
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][24]10.21 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Drying temperature & time60–65 °C for 6–8 h[6][24]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[1]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface; with PVA this progresses to clogging[21]
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[21]Polymaker groups PVA with nylon as the most moisture-prone class and says it often has to stay in a dryer while printing; there is no published dry-versus-conditioned strength comparison because PVA is not a structural material[21]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[21][25]Sealed with desiccant at all times; PVA takes up water faster than any other filament here[21][4]
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][26]Not documented
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]Not documented
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][26]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][26]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1][2]Not documented
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][26][27][28]Not documented
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[26][20]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; PVA is not used structurally[3]
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)[29]Poor — fails after a few cycles[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[1]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%84 (PolyLite, printed Z against XY tensile)[2]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documented3DXTech marks tensile strength, modulus and elongation as not applicable for its PVA support grade — it is not characterised as a structural material[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C68 (Prusament) to 78 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2][6]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[1][2][6]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C71–81 (DSC)[2][5][6]60 (3DXTech AquaTek, DSC)[3]
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[26][27][28][20][30]Bounded by a glass transition of 60 °C[3]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[31]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[32][25]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Moderate — a season or two[1]Degrades within weeks outdoors, and dissolves in rain long before UV matters[4]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[25]Dissolves in water; unusable in any wet or humid service environment[4][18]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption[1]Dissolves or disintegrates — by design[4][3]
Food contactPET is the polymer of drinks bottles, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria and no filament here carries a food-contact certification[25]Not offered as a food-contact material[3]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[25]PVA is water-soluble and biodegrades in wastewater treatment, but Simplify3D notes disposal should follow local guidance[18]
RecyclabilityPET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[25]Dissolved PVA goes to drain rather than to recycling[18]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, 3DXTech AquaTek PVA)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[33]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[33]
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[33]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[33]Open a window / occasional ventilation[33]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[22]Not sanded — it is dissolved away rather than finished[18]
Painting & finishingPaint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[1]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[22]Not applicable — PVA is a sacrificial support[18]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[1]Water is the solvent; no vapour smoothing is used[4]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[22]This is the support material; Polymaker pairs PolyDissolve S1 with PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG[4]
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.[34][35]Water — tap water works cold, warm moving water is faster; 6–12 h typical, changing the water every few hours.[36][37]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[34]Nothing else: polyvinyl alcohol resists organic solvents, so an IPA or acetone rinse leaves the support intact.[38]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[35]None — water dissolves PVA rather than welding it, and no solvent gives it a smoothed surface.[36]

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. AquaTek PVA Water Soluble Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  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. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. YXPOLYER PVA 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI 3D E-WATER water-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 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. Reli3D PVA Filament 1.75 mm 500 g Natural — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. PVA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  25. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  30. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  31. 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
  32. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  33. 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
  34. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  35. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  36. PolyDissolve S1 — Polymaker Wiki Polymaker · 2026-08 · doc
  37. 3DXTech AquaTek PVA product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  38. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds