3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA-CF vs PVA

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

Carbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF) guidePVA (soluble support) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA-CF comparisonsMore PVA comparisons
PLA-CF vs PVA — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF)PLAPVA (soluble support)SUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $19.00–$79.98/kg across 9 dated product listings$65.98/kg median; $42.00–$96.00/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA filled with chopped carbon fibre — 5–10 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS), 8 wt% (Polymaker)[1][2]Polyvinyl alcohol — a water-soluble support polymer[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Bambu Lab) to 1.29 (Polymaker, 3DXTech), ISO 1183[5][2][6]0.6–0.9 (3DXTech AquaTek, ISO 1183) and 1.13 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools span 19–80; the middle of the market is about 31[7][8][6][9][10]1 kg-equivalent spools span 42–96; the middle of the market is about 66[11][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[8][7][6][15][9][16][10]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[11][12][13][17][14]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][8][6][15]Stocked by most mainstream brands[11][12][13][17][14]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 3 kg spools[15][6][12]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[11][12]
Typical applicationsStiff jigs, drone and RC frames, tool holders — matte black finish, no gain in tensile strength[5][2]Dissolvable support for PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG — Polymaker names those four for PolyDissolve S1[4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[7]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–240 (Bambu Lab); 190–230 (Polymaker)[5][2]215–225 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 25–60 (Polymaker)[5][2]25–60 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[2]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanFan on[5][2]Part cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[18]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet or painter's tape[18]
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[5][19][2][20]4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4]
Warping tendency1–5None[5]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to most surfaces[18]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight[2]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[18]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; needs a hardened nozzle and 0.4 mm or larger[19][2]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; PVA is unusable once it has taken up moisture[21][4]
Extruder requirementNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[19]A second extruder or a tool changer; PVA is a support material, not a model material[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[19][2]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[19][22]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[19]Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet PVA foams and carbonises in the nozzle[21]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedHigh — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; Simplify3D warns PVA clogs if the nozzle is left hot while not extruding[18]
Hotend requirementHardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists PLA-CF among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[22][19]No special hot-end required, but the nozzle must not be parked hot[18]
Other hardware wearBambu Lab reports AMS wear; Polymaker advises against running PLA-CF through an AMS at all[19][2]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.42 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[5][2]Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker measures 10.21 % equilibrium water absorption, by far the highest in the dataset[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.42 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 equilibrium (Polymaker)[5][2]10.21 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6–8 h[5][2]Not documented
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface; with PVA this progresses to clogging[21]
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[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 requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant at all times; PVA takes up water faster than any other filament here[21][4]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa31.2 (Polymaker) to 38 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; 48 at break for 3DXTech[5][2][6]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2790 (Bambu Lab) to 3281 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 4950 for 3DXTech[5][2][6]Not documented
Elongation at break%8.4 (Bambu Lab) and 13.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 2 for 3DXTech[5][2][6]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa51.7 (Polymaker) to 89 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178[5][2]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa3381 (Polymaker) to 3950 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; 6320 for 3DXTech[5][2][6]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.5 (Polymaker) and 7.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[5][2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 23.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[5]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa15.1 (Polymaker) to 26 (Bambu Lab) printed Z, ISO 527[5][2]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation in Z falls to 0.9 % (Polymaker)[2][5]Not documented
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[23]Not documented
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[24][25][23]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; PVA is not used structurally[3]
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 %[26][2]Poor — fails after a few cycles[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[2]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%48 (Polymaker) to 68 (Bambu Lab), printed[5][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°C54 (Polymaker) to 55 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[5][2]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C50 (Polymaker) to 54 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[5][2]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C62–63 (DSC)[5][2]60 (3DXTech AquaTek, DSC)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°C162–165 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 64 °C (Polymaker)[5][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)[24][25][23]Bounded by a glass transition of 60 °C[3]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[27]Degrades within weeks outdoors, and dissolves in rain long before UV matters[4]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[2]Dissolves in water; unusable in any wet or humid service environment[4][18]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedDissolves or disintegrates — by design[4][3]
Food contactNot documentedNot offered as a food-contact material[3]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedPVA is water-soluble and biodegrades in wastewater treatment, but Simplify3D notes disposal should follow local guidance[18]
RecyclabilityNot documentedDissolved 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 toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[28]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[28]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[28]Open a window / occasional ventilation[28]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedNot sanded — it is dissolved away rather than finished[18]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedNot applicable — PVA is a sacrificial support[18]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedWater is the solvent; no vapour smoothing is used[4]
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab); PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[5][2]This is the support material; Polymaker pairs PolyDissolve S1 with PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG[4]
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[5][2][29][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.[31]Water — tap water works cold, warm moving water is faster; 6–12 h typical, changing the water every few hours.[32][33]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[31][34]Nothing else: polyvinyl alcohol resists organic solvents, so an IPA or acetone rinse leaves the support intact.[35]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[36][34]None — water dissolves PVA rather than welding it, and no solvent gives it a smoothed surface.[32]

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. 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. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V4.0 — PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  6. CarbonX PLA+CF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  7. PLA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. PolyLite PLA-CF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI CF-PLA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. SUNLU PLA-CF Carbon Fiber 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. YXPOLYER PVA 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. IEMAI 3D E-WATER water-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 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. Reli3D PVA Filament 1.75 mm 500 g Natural — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. PVA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  26. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  27. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  28. 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
  29. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  30. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  31. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  32. PolyDissolve S1 — Polymaker Wiki Polymaker · 2026-08 · doc
  33. 3DXTech AquaTek PVA product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  34. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  35. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds
  36. 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