3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA-CF vs PVB

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

Carbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF) guidePVB guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA-CF comparisonsMore PVB comparisons
PLA-CF vs PVB — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF)PLAPVBSPECIALTY
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $19.00–$79.98/kg across 9 dated product listings$66.65/kg median; $49.32–$79.98/kg across 3 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 butyral — a printable thermoplastic whose surface can be smoothed with isopropyl alcohol instead of a hot solvent[3]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Bambu Lab) to 1.29 (Polymaker, 3DXTech), ISO 1183[4][2][5]1.10 (Polymaker PolySmooth, ISO 1183); Prusament PVB 1.10[3][6]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools span 19–80; the middle of the market is about 31[7][8][5][9][10]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 80[11][12]
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][5][13][9][14][10]49–102 across brands; Polymaker PolySmooth 49 at 750 g, Prusament PVB 80–102 at 500 g[11][12]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][8][5][13]Available from several mainstream brands[11][12]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 3 kg spools[13][5][11]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[4][2]Display models and light guides where a layer-free surface matters more than strength[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[7]+/- 0.03 (Prusament PVB)[6]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–240 (Bambu Lab); 190–230 (Polymaker)[4][2]215 +/- 10 (Prusament PVB)[6]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 25–60 (Polymaker)[4][2]75 +/- 5 (Prusament PVB)[6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[2]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanFan on[4][2]100 % part cooling (Prusament PVB)[6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedSmooth PEI sheet or satin sheet; Prusa states a brim is not generally necessary[6]
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[4][15][2][16]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5None[4]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight[2]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; needs a hardened nozzle and 0.4 mm or larger[15][2]Easy — minor profile tuning; it prints close to PLA[3]
Extruder requirementNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[15]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[15][2]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[15][17]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[15]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa calls PVB very prone to absorbing moisture and requires a 60 °C, 4 h dry before every print[18][19]
Hotend requirementHardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists PLA-CF among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[17][15]Not documented
Other hardware wearBambu Lab reports AMS wear; Polymaker advises against running PLA-CF through an AMS at all[15][2]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.42 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][2]Very high (>2 %) — 2.36 % equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth), above every PLA and PETG grade here[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.42 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][2]2.36 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth); 2.09 for PolyCast; Prusament PVB takes up 0.18 in 24 h and 0.35 in 7 days at 24 °C and 22 % RH[3][20][6]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6–8 h[4][2]Maximum 60 °C for 4-8 h depending on how wet the filament is (Prusament PVB)[6]
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[19]Polymaker publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; at 2.36 % equilibrium uptake the material has to be kept dry to print cleanly[3][19]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant[19]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa31.2 (Polymaker) to 38 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; 48 at break for 3DXTech[4][2][5]51.8 ± 0.7 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); 53.2 ± 1.1 for PolyCast; Prusament PVB gives 50 +/- 5 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1) and 57 +/- 1 on the filament (ISO 527)[3][20][6]
Young's modulusMPa2790 (Bambu Lab) to 3281 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 4950 for 3DXTech[4][2][5]2199 ± 43 printed XY and 2010 ± 69 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); Prusament PVB gives 1700 +/- 100 in both print directions (ISO 527-1)[3][6]
Elongation at break%8.4 (Bambu Lab) and 13.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 2 for 3DXTech[4][2][5]5.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolyCast)[20]
Flexural strengthMPa51.7 (Polymaker) to 89 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178[4][2]72 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 73 +/- 3 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament PVB)[6]
Flexural modulusMPa3381 (Polymaker) to 3950 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; 6320 for 3DXTech[4][2][5]2233 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 2200 +/- 100 horizontal and 2300 +/- 100 vertical (ISO 178)[20][6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.5 (Polymaker) and 7.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[4][2]7 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 10 +/- 1 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament PVB)[6]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 23.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[4]Charpy unnotched 55 +/- 7 printed horizontal and 59 +/- 12 printed vertical (Prusament PVB, ISO 179-1)[6]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa15.1 (Polymaker) to 26 (Bambu Lab) printed Z, ISO 527[4][2]26.3 ± 2.1 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 49 +/- 5 at yield printed vertical (ISO 527-1) and 9 +/- 1 on Prusa's interlayer adhesion test[20][6]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation in Z falls to 0.9 % (Polymaker)[2][4]Moderate[3]
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[21]Shore D 77 (Prusa Polymers method)[6]
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[22][23][21]Not documented
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 %[24][2]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[2]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%48 (Polymaker) to 68 (Bambu Lab), printed[4][2]98 (Prusament PVB, printed vertical against horizontal tensile yield, ISO 527-1: 49 +/- 5 against 50 +/- 5) — the most isotropic printed material in this dataset[6]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C54 (Polymaker) to 55 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[4][2]68 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Prusament PVB 63 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa)[3][20][6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C50 (Polymaker) to 54 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[4][2]66 (PolySmooth) and 53 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament PVB 58 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa)[3][20][6]
Glass transition (Tg)°C62–63 (DSC)[4][2]70 (DSC) for both PolySmooth and PolyCast[3][20]
Melting point / Vicat°C162–165 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 64 °C (Polymaker)[4][2]Amorphous — no melting point; Vicat 70 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 306[3][20]
Continuous service temperature°C50–61 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across three brands (Sunlu 50, Bambu Lab and Polymaker 61)[22][23][21]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[25]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[2]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[26]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[26]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[26]Open a window / occasional ventilation[26]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedIsopropyl alcohol vapour smoothing is the point of the material — Polymaker markets PolySmooth for hands-free post-processing to a layer-free surface[3]
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab); PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[4][2]PolyDissolve S1 is rated for PVB (Polymaker)[27]
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[4][2][28][29]PolyCast is the investment-casting variant of the same chemistry — it burns out cleanly rather than being smoothed[20]
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.[30]Isopropyl alcohol dissolves it; Prusa describes PVB as soluble only in IPA, and it is not water-soluble.[18]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[30][31]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[32][31]Isopropyl alcohol: brushed or sprayed on for speed, or several hours in IPA vapour for a glass-like surface.[31][18]

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. PolySmooth Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V4.0 — PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. CarbonX PLA+CF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Prusament PVB Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · 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. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. LANDU Carbon Fiber PLA Filament 1.75 mm Black 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Prusament PVB — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PolyCast Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  21. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  25. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. 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
  27. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  28. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  29. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  30. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  31. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  32. 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