3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA-CF vs TPU-CF

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

Carbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF) guideCarbon-fibre TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA-CF comparisonsMore TPU-CF comparisons
PLA-CF vs TPU-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF)PLACarbon-fibre TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$29.99/kg median; $19.00–$79.98/kg across 9 dated product listings$107.05/kg median; $107.05–$107.05/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA filled with chopped carbon fibre — 5–10 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS), 8 wt% (Polymaker)[1][2]Carbon-fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane at the hard end of the range[3]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (Bambu Lab) to 1.29 (Polymaker, 3DXTech), ISO 1183[4][2][5]1.22 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 2781)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools span 19–80; the middle of the market is about 31[6][7][5][8][9]107 for the only retail listing found (Extrudr 0.5 kg coil, incl. VAT)[10]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg19–80 across brands; IEMAI 19, LANDU 24, SUNLU 27, Polymaker 30, Bambu Lab 32, 3DXTech 47, Proto-pasta 80[7][6][5][11][8][12][9]One listing only: EUR 49.56 incl. VAT per 0.5 kg coil, direct from Extrudr; no reseller or second brand found[10]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[6][7][5][11]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Extrudr's FLEX HARD CF is the only carbon-filled flexible with a published datasheet found here[3]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 3 kg spools[11][5][13]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 2 kg coils[10]
Typical applicationsStiff jigs, drone and RC frames, tool holders — matte black finish, no gain in tensile strength[4][2]Stiffened flexible parts — damping mounts and semi-rigid brackets[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[6]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–240 (Bambu Lab); 190–230 (Polymaker)[4][2]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 25–60 (Polymaker)[4][2]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[2]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanFan on[4][2]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[14][15]
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][16][2][17]1.6–8 at the 20–100 mm/s Extrudr specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3]
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[16][2]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle needed[3]
Extruder requirementNozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[16]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[16][2]Hardened steel required — Extrudr marks FLEX HARD CF as needing a hardened nozzle where its unfilled FLEX grades do not[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[16][18]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[16]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; a flexible base plus chopped carbon fibre, which Prusa lists as a higher nozzle-clogging risk, and Extrudr requires a hardened nozzle[19][3][14]
Hotend requirementHardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists PLA-CF among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[18][16]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[14]
Other hardware wearBambu Lab reports AMS wear; Polymaker advises against running PLA-CF through an AMS at all[16][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]Moderate[20]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.42 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][2]Not documented
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6–8 h[4][2]60 °C for 6 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[20]
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[20]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[20]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[20]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa31.2 (Polymaker) to 38 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; 48 at break for 3DXTech[4][2][5]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2790 (Bambu Lab) to 3281 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 4950 for 3DXTech[4][2][5]35 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500)[3]
Elongation at break%8.4 (Bambu Lab) and 13.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 2 for 3DXTech[4][2][5]380 ultimate elongation (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500), against 490 for the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
Flexural strengthMPa51.7 (Polymaker) to 89 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178[4][2]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa3381 (Polymaker) to 3950 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; 6320 for 3DXTech[4][2][5]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.5 (Polymaker) and 7.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[4][2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 23.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[4]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa15.1 (Polymaker) to 26 (Bambu Lab) printed Z, ISO 527[4][2]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation in Z falls to 0.9 % (Polymaker)[2][4]Very ductile — bends far before failing[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]70 Shore D (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 868), against 58 Shore D for the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
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]Below average — no CF-grade creep test; the grade is 70 Shore D where a 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[3][24]
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 %[25][2]Good — 380 % ultimate elongation and a damping application set (Extrudr cites longboard wheels), below the unfilled grades[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[2]Semi-flexible[3]
Z strength as % of XY%48 (Polymaker) to 68 (Bambu Lab), printed[4][2]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 4649-A) — the same as the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C54 (Polymaker) to 55 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[4][2]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C50 (Polymaker) to 54 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[4][2]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C62–63 (DSC)[4][2]-24 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°C162–165 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 64 °C (Polymaker)[4][2]Vicat A 140 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 306)[3]
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[26]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[15]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[2]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[15]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[15]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[15]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[15]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[27]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[27]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[27]Open a window / occasional ventilation[27]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[15]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[15]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[15]
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab); PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[4][2]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[15]
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]Tear strength 165 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 34-1B)[3]
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]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve the TPU matrix and leave the fibre; ketones are partial solvents. Laboratory reagents.[31]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[30][32]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[31]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[33][32]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[31]

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. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · 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. PLA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. PolyLite PLA-CF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI CF-PLA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. SUNLU PLA-CF Carbon Fiber 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Extrudr TPU FLEX Hard CF — product page (1.75 mm, 0.5 and 2 kg coils, price) Extrudr (FD3D GmbH) · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. LANDU Carbon Fiber PLA Filament 1.75 mm Black 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  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. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  25. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  26. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  27. 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
  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. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  33. 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