3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA Glow vs PLA-PHA

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

Glow-in-the-dark PLA guidePLA/PHA blend guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA Glow comparisonsMore PLA-PHA comparisons
PLA Glow vs PLA-PHA — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlow-in-the-dark PLAPLAPLA/PHA blendPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$24.99/kg median; $19.99–$49.16/kg across 5 dated product listings$76.40/kg median; $76.40–$76.40/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA with a phosphorescent additive at 2–20 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS, filler not named)[1]PLA blended with polyhydroxyalkanoate, a bacterially fermented bio-polyester[2]
Densityg/cm³1.24 (colorFabb) to 1.26 (Bambu Lab), ISO 1183[3][4]1.2 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 25[5][6]Not documented
Price range across brandsUSD/kg20–49 across brands; ELEGOO 20, Bambu Lab 25, Polymaker 25, Filament PM 49 on 0.5 kg spools[7][5][6][8]Not documented
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[5][6][7]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2][9]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 and 1 kg spools[10][4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 2200 g spools[2]
Typical applicationsSignage, novelty and cosplay parts that glow after light exposure[3]General-purpose printing where PLA's brittleness is the limiting factor[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230 on the Bambu Lab TDS against 210–240 in its own material table; colorFabb advises 195–220[3][11][4]195–220 (colorFabb)[2]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 50–60 (colorFabb)[3][4]50–60 (colorFabb)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[3]Open frame is fine[2]
Part cooling fanFan on; colorFabb allows 0–100 %[3][4]0–100 %; colorFabb states the blend runs on both heated and unheated beds[2][4]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4][12]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; a hardened nozzle is mandatory[11][6]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[2]
Extruder requirementBambu Lab: hardened steel and high-flow nozzles only, 0.2 mm excluded, AMS lite not compatible[11]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[11][6][4]Brass fine indefinitely[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — the phosphor is a hard ceramic; Bambu Lab groups glow with carbon fibre as the materials that wear nozzles and grind AMS PTFE, and both Bambu Lab and Polymaker require a hardened nozzle[11][4]Non-abrasive[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[11]Very low — unfilled PLA blend; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle for PLA[13]
Hotend requirementHardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists glow-in-the-dark among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[14][11]Not documented
Other hardware wearBambu Lab reports the filament adds enough feeding resistance to fail prints on the AMS lite; colorFabb warns of brass nozzle wear[11][4]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.46 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[3]Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; colorFabb publishes no figure for the blend[15][16]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.46 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[3]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[17]Polymaker 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[17]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa32 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb quotes 61.5 by ISO 527 on its own specimens[3][4]62–64 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[2]
Young's modulusMPa2030 ± 210 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 2960[3][4]2960–3070 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb)[2]
Elongation at break%8.6 ± 1.2 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 10.5 at break[3][4]4 and 11 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[2]
Flexural strengthMPa76 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab)[3]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2640 ± 130 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab); colorFabb 3295[3][4]2500–3300 flexural modulus (ISO 178, colorFabb)[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²2.8 (colorFabb, ISO 179-1/1eA) and 8.8 ± 1.7 (Bambu Lab, ISO 179) printed XY, notched[3][4]2.8–3.7 (ISO 179, notched, colorFabb)[2]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 27.3 (Bambu Lab) and 30.8 (colorFabb), printed, ISO 179[3][4]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa26 ± 3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab)[3]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[3]Moderate — colorFabb positions the blend as tougher and less brittle than its generic PLA grades[2]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no glow-grade creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[18][19][20]Poor — no PLA/PHA creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[18][19][20]
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 the glow filler leaves a brittle, highly abrasive compound[21][3]Below average — no S-N curve for the blend; colorFabb positions it as tougher and less brittle than its generic PLA, which ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[21][2]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[3]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%81 by tensile, 72 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[3]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C52 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C55 (DSC)[3]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C155 peak melt (DSC); colorFabb quotes above 155 by ISO 3146-C[3][4]Above 155 melting (ISO 3146-C)[2]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[22]Degrades within weeks outdoors[22]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedcolorFabb states the PHA component is 100 % biodegradable[2]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[23]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[23]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[23]None needed in a normal room[23]
Post-Processing
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[3]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailGlow brightness rises with wall thickness; 0.2 mm nozzles are not usable[11]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.[24]Chloroform dissolves the PLA phase (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C); THF and DMF need 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[24]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[24][25]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[24][25]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[26][25]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[26][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. Safety Data Sheet SDS20251127A12 — Bambu PLA Glow Bambu Lab · 2025-11 · msds
  2. PLA/PHA technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Glow Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. glowFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PLA Glow — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Panchroma Luminous PLA — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Filament PM PLA GlowJet technical data sheet Filament PM (Plasty Mladec) · 2026-08 · tds
  9. woodFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  10. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  16. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  17. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  20. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  22. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. 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
  24. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  25. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  26. 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