3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA-GF vs PVDF

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

Glass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF) guidePVDF guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA-GF comparisonsMore PVDF comparisons
PLA-GF vs PVDF — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF)PLAPVDFENGINEERING
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$44.99/kg median; $29.99–$59.99/kg across 2 dated product listings$250.67/kg median; $250.67–$250.67/kg across 1 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]Polyvinylidene fluoride — a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer[4][5]
Densityg/cm³1.31 (eSUN) to 1.337 (Polymaker), ISO 1183 / GB/T 1033[1][2]1.71 (ISO 1183) — the densest unfilled filament in the dataset[4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 30[6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 251[8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg30–60 across brands; Polymaker 30, Proto-pasta 60[6][7]251 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in the whole dataset[8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][7][2]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[8][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[7][10]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[8]
Typical applicationsStiff brackets and fixtures; the Polymaker grade is aimed at parts annealed for heat resistance[1]Chemical-plant fittings, semiconductor handling and parts needing outstanding UV and chemical resistance[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–230 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[1]Not documented
Bed temperature°C25–60 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[1]70–110 (3DXTech FluorX)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Enclosure required (passive)[4]
Part cooling fanFan on — eSUN specifies 100 %[2]Not documented
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][11]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedHigh — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[4]
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]Expert / industrial hardware only[4][5]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[12]Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns, no minimum layer height and states drying is not required[9]
Hotend requirementHardened steel or ruby nozzle; Polymaker's own slicer preset sets a minimum nozzle hardness of 40 HRC[1]Not documented
Other hardware wearNot documentedHydrogen fluoride released on overheating is extremely corrosive and will attack hotend and enclosure metalwork as well as people[5]
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[13][14]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — fluoropolymers are essentially non-hygroscopic[4]
Drying temperature & time60 °C for 6 h (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[1]Not documented
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]Not applicable in practice — 3DXTech states drying is not required for PVDF, so there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure[9]
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]51 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[4]
Young's modulusMPa3794 as printed, 4207 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[1]2450 (printed XY, ISO 527)[4]
Elongation at break%2.77 as printed, 2.3 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 7.99[1][2]25 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[4]
Flexural strengthMPa86.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[1]50 (printed XY, ISO 178)[4]
Flexural modulusMPa3685 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 4415 flexural modulus by GB/T 9341[1][2]1800 (printed XY, ISO 178)[4]
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]Izod 133 J/m on extruded PVDF stock, converted from 2.49 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[16]
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]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M79 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D785)[16]
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[17][18][19]Not documented
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[20][1]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[4]
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]Not documented
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]149 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 300 °F)[16]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C59.7 as printed, 84 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]113 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 235 °F)[16]
Glass transition (Tg)°C59.8 (DSC)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C174.9 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 148.9 as printed, 148.3 annealed[1]170 melting (ISO 11357)[4]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented149 long term and short term on extruded PVDF stock (converted from 300 °F)[16]
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
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented127.8 (extruded PVDF stock, ASTM D696; source states 7.1e-5 in/in/°F) — the highest thermal expansion of any engineering polymer in this dataset[16]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 on extruded PVDF stock; Ensinger lists inherent flame resistance[16]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[21]Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Ensinger lists good UV and weather resistance and high gamma radiation resistance for PVDF stock[4][16]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedOutstanding — resistant to most acids, solvents and oxidising agents, which is the reason to use it[4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[22]Very high — toxic decomposition products; local exhaust mandatory. Above 315 °C thermal decomposition yields hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide[5]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedAbove 315 °C: hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide, phenols, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and dense smoke. HF is extremely corrosive, its skin burns may not be immediately visible or painful, and exposure can be fatal by skin absorption, inhalation or ingestion[5]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[22]Local exhaust to outside / fume hood — the SDS states local exhaust is preferred[5]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[23]Molten polymer causes thermal burns and must not be pulled off the skin. If HF is detected during a decomposition event, cut the heat but keep the extraction running, ventilate, and clear non-essential people from the area[5]
Post-Processing
Dimensional accuracy & detailNear-zero shrinkage — 0.05 % in X-Y and Z (Polymaker)[1]The processing window sits well below the 315 °C decomposition threshold, so nozzle temperature must be controlled rather than raised to chase flow[4][5]
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.[24]THF, MEK, DMF, DMAc, NMP, DMSO and trimethyl phosphate dissolve 5–10 wt% at ambient — Arkema's active solvents, all lab reagents.[25]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[24][26]Acetone, MIBK, cyclohexanone, butyl acetate and glycol ethers swell it; alkalis above pH 12 attack the homopolymer.[25][27]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[28][26]None for the workshop — the active solvents (NMP, DMAc, DMF) are laboratory reagents used for casting membranes, not joints.[25]

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. FluorX PVDF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  5. FluorX PVDF Safety Data Sheet v1.1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · msds
  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. FluorX PVDF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  14. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. TECAFLON PVDF natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  17. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  20. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  21. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. 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
  23. StoneFil safety data sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · msds
  24. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  25. Kynar PVDF — Design properties: solubility and irradiation (active and latent solvents) Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Kynar PVDF resin — chemical and fuel resistance Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
  28. 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