3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA Matte vs PLA Metal

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

Matte PLA guideMetal-filled PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA Matte comparisonsMore PLA Metal comparisons
PLA Matte vs PLA Metal — documented properties and sources
PropertyMatte PLAPLAMetal-filled PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.09/kg median; $10.99–$32.16/kg across 10 dated product listings$79.69/kg median; $24.99–$94.99/kg across 6 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA compounded with a mineral filler — Fiberlogy names chalk — that scatters light into a diffuse finish[1][2]PLA loaded with real metal powder — bronze, copper, steel or iron. Bambu Lab's PLA Sparkle TDS states it has "metal particles included in its composition"; its separately sold PLA Metal does not, and the store page says so explicitly[3][4][5][6][7][8]
Densityg/cm³1.31 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183) to 1.38 (Fiberlogy PLA Mineral, method not stated) — above plain PLA from the filler[2][1]1.26 (Bambu Lab Sparkle, a trace-metal glitter grade) up to 3.9–4.0 for colorFabb bronze and copper and 2.3 for Proto-pasta steel, ISO 1183[6][3][4][9]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 21[10][11][12]1 kg spools cluster near 78[13][14][5]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg11–32 across brands; budget house brands 11–19, Fiberlogy PLA Mineral 32[15][11][16]25–95 across brands; Bambu Lab Sparkle 25, Proto-pasta iron 65, colorFabb bronze and copper 84, Proto-pasta steel 95[13][5][14][9]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[15][12][10]Available from several mainstream brands[14][5][9][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[10][17]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.5 kg spools[18][14]
Typical applicationsDisplay models and visible parts where a matte, non-reflective finish matters[2]Decorative castings and props that are polished or left to patinate; the density gives prints a metallic heft[3][5]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[19]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230 (Bambu Lab); 190–210 (Fiberlogy PLA Mineral)[2][1]195–220 (colorFabb bronze and copper); 192 (Proto-pasta iron); 198 (Proto-pasta steel); 190–230 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[3][5][9][6]
Bed temperature°C35–45 (Bambu Lab); 60 (Fiberlogy)[2][1]50–60 (colorFabb, Proto-pasta); 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[3][5][6]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[2][1]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanFan on; Fiberlogy specifies 75–100 %[2][1]On (colorFabb copper); 0–100 % (colorFabb bronze)[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidCool plate, high-temperature plate or textured PEI with glue (Bambu Lab); smooth PEI, textured PEI or glass (Fiberlogy)[2][1]Glass plate with glue stick or tape (colorFabb)[3][4]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented1.6–2.4 at Proto-pasta's 20–30 mm/s for iron and steel, 3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[5][9][3][20]
Warping tendency1–5None[2]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything[21]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[2][1]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; brittle in filament form and slow to print[5][9]
Extruder requirementNot documentedProto-pasta advises an extrusion width 0.05 mm larger than the nozzle and warns that feeding is inconsistent below 0.4 mm and on Bowden machines[5][9]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[22][2][1]Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[5][9]
Abrasiveness1–5Slightly abrasive — mineral filler pushes density from 1.24 to 1.31–1.38[1][2][23]Moderately abrasive — metal fill[5][9]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[22]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[9]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[24]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[21]Proto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[5][9]
Other hardware wearNot documentedProto-pasta warns of more frequent nozzle replacement and first-layer adjustment[5][9]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[2]Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; the metal powder itself does not absorb water[23][25]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Drying temperature & time50 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer, or 60–70 °C for 12 h on an X1 heatbed; Fiberlogy specifies 50 °C for 6 h[2][1][26]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[27]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[27]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[27]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[23][21]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa30 (printed XY, ISO 527, Bambu Lab); 35.1 on My Tech Fun bars for PolyTerra PLA[2][28]25 (colorFabb copper) and 30 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; Bambu Lab Sparkle 39 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527[3][4][6]
Young's modulusMPa1960 (Bambu Lab, printed XY, ISO 527); Fiberlogy PLA Mineral quotes 3500 (ISO 527, specimen type not stated)[2][1]1940 ± 230 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Elongation at break%14.8 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2]3–10 (colorFabb copper) and 5–10 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; 11.7 for Bambu Lab Sparkle printed XY[3][4][6]
Flexural strengthMPa53 (printed XY, ISO 178) — 30 % below PLA Basic at 76[2][23]75 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Flexural modulusMPa2360 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]2350 ± 140 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²6.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched); unnotched 19.2[2]23.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Other impact dataIzod 6.1 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars for PolyTerra PLA[28]Izod notched 4.5 kJ/m² for colorFabb bronzeFill and 10 kJ/m² for copperFill (ISO 180); Charpy unnotched 66.5 kJ/m² for Bambu Lab Sparkle[3][4][6]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa22 (printed Z, ISO 527); flexural Z falls to 29 against 53 in XY; 12.9 on My Tech Fun layer-adhesion bars[2][28]32 ± 2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[2]Brittle — Proto-pasta describes both its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA in filament form[5][9]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — 12 mm bar sagged to 18.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[28]Poor — no metal-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[29][30][31]
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 (R = 0.2)[32][24]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and Proto-pasta describes its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA[32][5][9]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[2]Rigid[6]
Z strength as % of XY%73 by tensile, 55 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[2]82 by tensile (printed, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C58 (Bambu Lab) and 48 (Fiberlogy PLA Mineral), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[2][1]55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C52 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Glass transition (Tg)°C61 (DSC)[2]56 (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Melting point / Vicat°C163 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 63 °C[2]156 peak melt (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[6]
Continuous service temperature°C54 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[28]Not documented
Annealing response50–60 °C for 6–12 h; some prints deform or warp, and a forced-air oven is required[2]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[23][25]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[24][33]Degrades within weeks outdoors[24]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedProto-pasta markets its iron grade as rustable — the iron oxidises deliberately when exposed to moisture[5]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[25][24]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water[23]Not documented
Food contactBase resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[24]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[34][24]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[34]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedProto-pasta magnetic iron PLA is ferromagnetic and responds to magnets[5]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[35]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[35]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[35]None needed in a normal room[35]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[33][24]Polishing is the intended finish — colorFabb and Proto-pasta both sell these grades to be sanded and buffed to a metallic shine[3][4][9]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[24][36]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[24]Not documented
Support material pairingSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[2]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailMatte surface hides layer lines; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges as for plain PLA[2]colorFabb notes the metal fill increases die swell, so flow needs raising above plain PLA[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[37]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[37]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[37][38]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[37][38]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[39][38]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[39][38]

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. PLA Mineral — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. bronzeFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  4. copperFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Sparkle Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. PLA Metal — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Metal Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  9. Stainless Steel PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  10. Polymaker Panchroma Matte PLA — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Overture Matte PLA 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Matte PLA filament collection Anycubic Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. PLA Sparkle — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. bronzeFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Matte PLA filament collection Sunlu Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Fiberlogy PLA Mineral — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Extrudr PLA NX2 Matt — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  24. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  26. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  28. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  33. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  34. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  35. 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
  36. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  37. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  38. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  39. 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