3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA-CF vs rPLA

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

Carbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF) guideRecycled PLA (rPLA) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA-CF comparisonsMore rPLA comparisons
PLA-CF vs rPLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF)PLARecycled PLA (rPLA)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $19.00–$79.98/kg across 9 dated product listings$20.79/kg median; $16.05–$40.64/kg across 8 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA filled with chopped carbon fibre — 5–10 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS), 8 wt% (Polymaker)[1][2]PLA regranulated from post-industrial PLA manufacturing waste; post-consumer feedstock is rare[3][4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Bambu Lab) to 1.29 (Polymaker, 3DXTech), ISO 1183[6][2][7]1.24 (ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools span 19–80; the middle of the market is about 31[8][9][7][10][11]1 kg spools run 20–22[12][13][14]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg19–80 across brands; IEMAI 19, LANDU 24, SUNLU 27, Polymaker 30, Bambu Lab 32, 3DXTech 47, Proto-pasta 80[9][8][7][15][10][16][11]16–41 across brands; Fiberlogy refill 16, Filamentive 750 g 41[17][18]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][9][7][15]Available from several mainstream brands[4][5][14]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 3 kg spools[15][7][19]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[20][17][4]
Typical applicationsStiff jigs, drone and RC frames, tool holders — matte black finish, no gain in tensile strength[6][2]General-purpose printing where the feedstock's recycled content matters more than an exact colour match[4][5]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[8]±0.03 guaranteed by Prusa Research today; the 2021 datasheet specified ±0.05, against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PLA[4][3][21]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–240 (Bambu Lab); 190–230 (Polymaker)[6][2]210 ± 10 (Prusament); 200 ± 15 (Filamentive)[3][5]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 25–60 (Polymaker)[6][2]40–60 (Prusament); up to 60 (Filamentive)[3][5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[2]Open frame is fine[3][22]
Part cooling fanFan on[6][2]100 %[3]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s16 at Bambu Lab's 200 mm/s cap and 24 at Polymaker's 300 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Bambu Lab's own filament guide says 250 mm/s where its TDS says 200[6][23][2][24]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5None[6]None — brim not generally needed[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to anything[25]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight[2]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; needs a hardened nozzle and 0.4 mm or larger[23][2]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[3][22]
Extruder requirementNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[23]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[23][2]Brass fine indefinitely[22]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[23][26]Non-abrasive[27][22]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[23]Very low[22]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[28]
Hotend requirementHardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists PLA-CF among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[26][23]No special hot-end required[25]
Other hardware wearBambu Lab reports AMS wear; Polymaker advises against running PLA-CF through an AMS at all[23][2]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.42 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[6][2]Moderate — 0.3 % after both 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method), against 0.19 % in 7 days for virgin Prusament PLA[3][21]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.42 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 equilibrium (Polymaker)[6][2]0.3 after 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method)[3]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6–8 h[6][2]Not documented
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[29]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[29]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[29]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[30][25]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa31.2 (Polymaker) to 38 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; 48 at break for 3DXTech[6][2][7]49 printed horizontal and 55 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1, yield); virgin Prusament PLA gives 51 and 59 by the same method[3][21]
Young's modulusMPa2790 (Bambu Lab) to 3281 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 4950 for 3DXTech[6][2][7]2100 printed horizontal, 2300 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2300 and 2400[3][21]
Elongation at break%8.4 (Bambu Lab) and 13.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 2 for 3DXTech[6][2][7]3.1 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2.9[3][21]
Flexural strengthMPa51.7 (Polymaker) to 89 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178[6][2]82 printed horizontal, 87 printed vertical XZ (ISO 178); virgin Prusament PLA 83 and 99[3][21]
Flexural modulusMPa3381 (Polymaker) to 3950 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; 6320 for 3DXTech[6][2][7]3100 printed horizontal (ISO 178) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[3][21]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.5 (Polymaker) and 7.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[6][2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 23.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[6]Charpy unnotched 14.0 printed horizontal (ISO 179-1); virgin Prusament PLA 13[3][21]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa15.1 (Polymaker) to 26 (Bambu Lab) printed Z, ISO 527[6][2]21 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test); virgin Prusament PLA 17 ± 3 by the same test[3][21]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation in Z falls to 0.9 % (Polymaker)[2][6]Brittle — snaps with little warning[28][27]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell71.5 Shore D measured on printed bars for Sunlu CF PLA (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's unfilled PLA[31]80 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); virgin Prusament PLA 81[3][21]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — 12 mm bars sagged to 15.1, 19.8 and 21.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg across three brands, against 16.2–21.8 mm for their unfilled PLA[32][33][31]Poor — no recycled-PLA creep data published; virgin PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[32][34]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Poor — no CF-grade S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation in Z falls to 0.9 %[35][2]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength (R = 0.2)[35][28]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[2]Rigid[27]
Z strength as % of XY%48 (Polymaker) to 68 (Bambu Lab), printed[6][2]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C54 (Polymaker) to 55 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[6][2]55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[3][21]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C50 (Polymaker) to 54 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[6][2]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa); virgin Prusament PLA 55[3][21]
Glass transition (Tg)°C62–63 (DSC)[6][2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C162–165 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 64 °C (Polymaker)[6][2]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C50–61 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across three brands (Sunlu 50, Bambu Lab and Polymaker 61)[32][33][31]55 (Filamentive states heat resistance up to 55 °C)[5]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[36]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[30][37]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[28]Degrades within weeks outdoors[28][38]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[2]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[37][28]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water[30]
Food contactNot documentedFilamentive certifies its rPLA to EN 71-3 and lists it food safe; printed layer grooves still harbour bacteria[5][28]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[5]
RecyclabilityNot documentedThe feedstock itself; Filamentive uses 50 % post-industrial content and runs a PLA take-back scheme[5][18]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[39]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[39]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedPrusament rPLA Corn Pigment uses organic waste pigments such as red algae, which give a noticeable scent while printing[4]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[39]None needed in a normal room[39]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[38][28]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedSuperglue for most joints; acetone works on some grades depending on additives and colour[4]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[28]
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab); PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[6][2]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte finish hides layer lines; stiffness is the gain — tensile strength stays at or below Bambu Lab PLA Basic's 35 MPa and Polymaker PolyLite PLA's 52.3 MPa[6][2][37][30]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[40]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[40]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[40][41]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[40][41]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[42][41]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[42][41]

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. Safety Data Sheet SDS20251127A50 — Bambu PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2025-11 · msds
  2. PolyLite PLA-CF Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. Prusament PLA Recycled Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2021-12 · tds
  4. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V4.0 — PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. CarbonX PLA+CF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  8. PLA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. PolyLite PLA-CF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. IEMAI CF-PLA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. SUNLU PLA-CF Carbon Fiber 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. 3D-Fuel ReFuel Recycled PLA 1kg 3D-Fuel · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Proto-pasta Black Recycled PLA 1kg Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Formfutura ReForm rPLA (White) 1kg Filament2Print · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. LANDU Carbon Fiber PLA Filament 1.75 mm Black 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Filamentive PLA (rPLA) 750 g CREATE Education · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Kimya PLA-R 750 g Crea3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  22. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  28. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  31. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  35. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  36. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  37. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  38. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  39. 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
  40. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  41. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  42. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper