3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA-GF vs PVA

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

Glass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF) guidePVA (soluble support) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA-GF comparisonsMore PVA comparisons
PLA-GF vs PVA — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF)PLAPVA (soluble support)SUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$44.99/kg median; $29.99–$59.99/kg across 2 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 glass fibre — 12 wt% (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF), 15–20 wt% (eSUN PLA-GF). Bambu Lab PLA Galaxy uses glass microspheres, not fibre, and is not equivalent[1][2][3]Polyvinyl alcohol — a water-soluble support polymer[4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.31 (eSUN) to 1.337 (Polymaker), ISO 1183 / GB/T 1033[1][2]0.6–0.9 (3DXTech AquaTek, ISO 1183) and 1.13 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4][5]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 30[6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools span 42–96; the middle of the market is about 66[8][9][10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg30–60 across brands; Polymaker 30, Proto-pasta 60[6][7]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[8][9][10][12][11]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][7][2]Stocked by most mainstream brands[8][9][10][12][11]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[7][9]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[8][9]
Typical applicationsStiff brackets and fixtures; the Polymaker grade is aimed at parts annealed for heat resistance[1]Dissolvable support for PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG — Polymaker names those four for PolyDissolve S1[5]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–230 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[1]215–225 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[5]
Bed temperature°C25–60 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[1]25–60 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[5]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[5]
Part cooling fanFan on — eSUN specifies 100 %[2]Part cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[13]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet or painter's tape[13]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s28 at Polymaker's stated 350 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; eSUN prints its specimens at 60 mm/s[1][2][14]4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[5]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to most surfaces[13]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Not documentedModerate — retraction tuning needed[13]
Shrinkage%0.05 in X-Y and Z, 0.10 diagonal (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[1]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[1]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; PVA is unusable once it has taken up moisture[15][5]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer; PVA is a support material, not a model material[5]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely[5]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[1]Non-abrasive[5]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[16]Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet PVA foams and carbonises in the nozzle[15]
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[13]
Hotend requirementHardened steel or ruby nozzle; Polymaker's own slicer preset sets a minimum nozzle hardness of 40 HRC[1]No special hot-end required, but the nozzle must not be parked hot[13]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; no glass-filled grade publishes its own figure[17][18]Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker measures 10.21 % equilibrium water absorption, by far the highest in the dataset[5]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented10.21 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[5]
Drying temperature & time60 °C for 6 h (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[1]Not documented
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface; with PVA this progresses to clogging[15]
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[15]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[15]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant at all times; PVA takes up water faster than any other filament here[15][5]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa50.1 as printed and 50.2 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 59.3 by GB/T 1040[1][2]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa3794 as printed, 4207 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%2.77 as printed, 2.3 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 7.99[1][2]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa86.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa3685 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 4415 flexural modulus by GB/T 9341[1][2]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.31 ± 0.46 as printed and 4.92 ± 0.50 annealed (printed XY, ISO 179, notched); Z 4.28 ± 0.18[1]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod 10.16 kJ/m² (eSUN, GB/T 1843)[2]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa23.7 as printed, 22.5 annealed, printed Z, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Very brittle — elongation at break 2.77 % in XY and 0.85 % in Z[1]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no GF-grade creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[19][20][21]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; PVA is not used structurally[4]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation at break falls to 2.77 % in XY and 0.85 % in Z[22][1]Poor — fails after a few cycles[4]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%47 as printed (23.7 Z against 50.1 XY), printed[1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictioneSUN describes high wear resistance and positions the grade for wear parts[2]3DXTech marks tensile strength, modulus and elongation as not applicable for its PVA support grade — it is not characterised as a structural material[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C75.5 as printed, 114.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the point of the material[1]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C59.7 as printed, 84 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C59.8 (DSC)[1]60 (3DXTech AquaTek, DSC)[4]
Melting point / Vicat°C174.9 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 148.9 as printed, 148.3 annealed[1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CNot documentedBounded by a glass transition of 60 °C[4]
Annealing responseAnnealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 75.5 to 114.7 °C and modulus from 3794 to 4207 MPa[1]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published[4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[23]Degrades within weeks outdoors, and dissolves in rain long before UV matters[5]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedDissolves in water; unusable in any wet or humid service environment[5][13]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedDissolves or disintegrates — by design[5][4]
Food contactNot documentedNot offered as a food-contact material[4]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedPVA is water-soluble and biodegrades in wastewater treatment, but Simplify3D notes disposal should follow local guidance[13]
RecyclabilityNot documentedDissolved PVA goes to drain rather than to recycling[13]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, 3DXTech AquaTek PVA)[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[24]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[24]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[24]Open a window / occasional ventilation[24]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[25]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedNot sanded — it is dissolved away rather than finished[13]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedNot applicable — PVA is a sacrificial support[13]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedWater is the solvent; no vapour smoothing is used[5]
Support material pairingNot documentedThis is the support material; Polymaker pairs PolyDissolve S1 with PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG[5]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNear-zero shrinkage — 0.05 % in X-Y and Z (Polymaker)[1]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.[26]Water — tap water works cold, warm moving water is faster; 6–12 h typical, changing the water every few hours.[27][28]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[26][29]Nothing else: polyvinyl alcohol resists organic solvents, so an IPA or acetone rinse leaves the support intact.[30]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[31][29]None — water dissolves PVA rather than welding it, and no solvent gives it a smoothed surface.[27]

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. Polymaker HT-PLA-GF Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  2. eSUN ePLA-GF Technical Data Sheet V1.0 (Nov 2023) eSUN (copy hosted on 3d.nice-cdn.com) · 2023-11 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PLA Galaxy Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. AquaTek PVA Water Soluble Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. Polymaker HT-PLA-GF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. YXPOLYER PVA 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI 3D E-WATER water-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Reli3D PVA Filament 1.75 mm 500 g Natural — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. PVA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  18. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  19. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  20. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  23. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. 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
  25. StoneFil safety data sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · msds
  26. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  27. PolyDissolve S1 — Polymaker Wiki Polymaker · 2026-08 · doc
  28. 3DXTech AquaTek PVA product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  29. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds
  31. 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