3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG vs PVDF

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

PETG guidePVDF guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG comparisonsMore PVDF comparisons
PETG vs PVDF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPETGPETGPVDFENGINEERING
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 dated product listings$250.67/kg median; $250.67–$250.67/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[1][2]Polyvinylidene fluoride — a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][2][5][6]1.71 (ISO 1183) — the densest unfilled filament in the dataset[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 20[7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 251[10]
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][11][9][12][13]251 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in the whole dataset[10]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[7][8][14][9]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[10][15]
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; 750 g spools[10]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[1][2]Chemical-plant fittings, semiconductor handling and parts needing outstanding UV and chemical resistance[3]
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]Not documented
Bed temperature°C60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[1][6]70–110 (3DXTech FluorX)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[6]Enclosure required (passive)[3]
Part cooling fanAround 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[1][6]Not documented
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[16][17]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Slight — corner lift on large flat parts[1][6]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[1]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[1][6]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning[6]Expert / industrial hardware only[3][4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[16]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[6]Non-abrasive when unfilled[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[18][19]Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns, no minimum layer height and states drying is not required[15]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[18]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[18]Not documented
Other hardware wearNot documentedHydrogen fluoride released on overheating is extremely corrosive and will attack hotend and enclosure metalwork as well as people[4]
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][20]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — fluoropolymers are essentially non-hygroscopic[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][20]Not documented
Drying temperature & time60–65 °C for 6–8 h[6][20]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[21]Not applicable in practice — 3DXTech states drying is not required for PVDF, so there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure[15]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[21][22]Not documented
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][23]51 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Young's modulusMPa1500–2311 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][2][5][6]2450 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Elongation at break%5.2–9.3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 5.1 at yield[2][5][6][1]25 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa58–80 (printed XY, ISO 178); Prusament 66 ± 2[1][2][5][6]50 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa1068–2277 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1][2][5][6]1800 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
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][23]Izod 133 J/m on extruded PVDF stock, converted from 2.49 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[24]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa18 ± 4 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 42.8 printed Z for PolyLite PETG; 33 on My Tech Fun bars[1][2][23]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][23][25][26]Rockwell M79 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D785)[24]
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[23][17]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)[27]Not documented
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]149 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 300 °F)[24]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[1][2][6]113 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 235 °F)[24]
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]170 melting (ISO 11357)[3]
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[23][25][26][17][28]149 long term and short term on extruded PVDF stock (converted from 300 °F)[24]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[29]127.8 (extruded PVDF stock, ASTM D696; source states 7.1e-5 in/in/°F) — the highest thermal expansion of any engineering polymer in this dataset[24]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[30][22]UL 94 V-0 on extruded PVDF stock; Ensinger lists inherent flame resistance[24]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Moderate — a season or two[1]Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Ensinger lists good UV and weather resistance and high gamma radiation resistance for PVDF stock[3][24]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[22]Outstanding — resistant to most acids, solvents and oxidising agents, which is the reason to use it[3]
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[22]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[22]Not documented
RecyclabilityPET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[22]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[31]Very high — toxic decomposition products; local exhaust mandatory. Above 315 °C thermal decomposition yields hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide[4]
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[31]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedAbove 315 °C: hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide, phenols, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and dense smoke. HF is extremely corrosive, its skin burns may not be immediately visible or painful, and exposure can be fatal by skin absorption, inhalation or ingestion[4]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[31]Local exhaust to outside / fume hood — the SDS states local exhaust is preferred[4]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedMolten polymer causes thermal burns and must not be pulled off the skin. If HF is detected during a decomposition event, cut the heat but keep the extraction running, ventilate, and clear non-essential people from the area[4]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[18]Not documented
Painting & finishingPaint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[1]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[18]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[1]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[18]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailStringing and blobbing are the usual accuracy limits, not shrinkage[1][6]The processing window sits well below the 315 °C decomposition threshold, so nozzle temperature must be controlled rather than raised to chase flow[3][4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[32][33]THF, MEK, DMF, DMAc, NMP, DMSO and trimethyl phosphate dissolve 5–10 wt% at ambient — Arkema's active solvents, all lab reagents.[34]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[32]Acetone, MIBK, cyclohexanone, butyl acetate and glycol ethers swell it; alkalis above pH 12 attack the homopolymer.[34][35]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[33]None for the workshop — the active solvents (NMP, DMAc, DMF) are laboratory reagents used for casting membranes, not joints.[34]

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. FluorX PVDF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. FluorX PVDF Safety Data Sheet v1.1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · msds
  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. Black PETG Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg — product data Hatchbox · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. CHCKX PETG 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg, Black CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. FluorX PVDF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. TECAFLON PVDF natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  25. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  28. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  29. 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
  30. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  31. 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
  32. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  33. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  34. Kynar PVDF — Design properties: solubility and irradiation (active and latent solvents) Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
  35. Kynar PVDF resin — chemical and fuel resistance Arkema · 2026-08 · tds