3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA Metal vs PLA Silk

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

Metal-filled PLA guideSilk PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA Metal comparisonsMore PLA Silk comparisons
PLA Metal vs PLA Silk — documented properties and sources
PropertyMetal-filled PLAPLASilk PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$79.69/kg median; $24.99–$94.99/kg across 6 dated product listings$19.49/kg median; $9.75–$24.99/kg across 15 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA 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[1][2][3][4][5][6]PLA with a gloss-forming additive package; suppliers publish the composition as polylactic acid only[7]
Densityg/cm³1.26 (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[4][1][2][8]1.27 (ISO 1183)[7]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 78[9][10][3]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[11][12][13]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg25–95 across brands; Bambu Lab Sparkle 25, Proto-pasta iron 65, colorFabb bronze and copper 84, Proto-pasta steel 95[9][3][10][8]10–25 across brands; CHCKX 10 in a 16-roll bundle, SUNLU 13, LANDU 18, YXPOLYER 20, Polymaker 22, Devil Design 25[14][15][16][17][18]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[10][3][8][9]Stocked by most mainstream brands[11][14][19]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.1, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.5 kg spools[20][10]1.75 mm; 1 and 1.1 kg spools; dual- and tri-colour coextruded variants[21][22]
Typical applicationsDecorative castings and props that are polished or left to patinate; the density gives prints a metallic heft[1][3]Decorative prints where surface gloss matters more than strength[7]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[23]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C195–220 (colorFabb bronze and copper); 192 (Proto-pasta iron); 198 (Proto-pasta steel); 190–230 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[1][3][8][4]210–240 — 20 °C above the plain PLA window[7]
Bed temperature°C50–60 (colorFabb, Proto-pasta); 35–45 (Bambu Lab)[1][3][4]35–45[7]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[7][24]
Part cooling fanOn (colorFabb copper); 0–100 % (colorFabb bronze)[1][2]Fan on[7]
Bed surface & adhesion aidGlass plate with glue stick or tape (colorFabb)[1][2]Cool Plate SuperTack, smooth PEI or textured PEI[7]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s1.6–2.4 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[3][8][1][25]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[7]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedSticks to anything[26]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; brittle in filament form and slow to print[3][8]Easy — minor profile tuning; hotter nozzle and slower cap of 250 mm/s[7]
Extruder requirementProto-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[3][8]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass acceptable; hardened steel for volume work[3][8]Brass fine indefinitely[24]
Abrasiveness1–5Moderately abrasive — metal fill[3][8]Non-abrasive[27][24]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[8]Very low[24]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[28]
Hotend requirementProto-pasta recommends a wear-resistant or larger nozzle for longer service intervals[3][8]No special hot-end required[26]
Other hardware wearProto-pasta warns of more frequent nozzle replacement and first-layer adjustment[3][8]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; the metal powder itself does not absorb water[29][30]Moderate — 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[7]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[7]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 8 h in a forced-air dryer, or 65–75 °C for 12 h on an X1 heatbed[7][31]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[32]
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[32]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[32]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[29][26]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa25 (colorFabb copper) and 30 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; Bambu Lab Sparkle 39 ± 3 printed XY, ISO 527[1][2][4]33 (printed XY, ISO 527); eSun Silk broke 22 % below the 16-brand PLA mean on identical 4×4 mm bars[7][33]
Young's modulusMPa1940 ± 230 printed XY, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]2130 (printed XY, ISO 527)[7]
Elongation at break%3–10 (colorFabb copper) and 5–10 (colorFabb bronze), ISO 527-1A; 11.7 for Bambu Lab Sparkle printed XY[1][2][4]2.8 (printed XY, ISO 527) — a quarter of PLA Basic at 12.2[7][29]
Flexural strengthMPa75 ± 4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]75 (printed XY, ISO 178)[7]
Flexural modulusMPa2350 ± 140 printed XY, ISO 178 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]2460 (printed XY, ISO 178)[7]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²23.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]10.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched); unnotched 18.5[7]
Other impact dataIzod 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[1][2][4]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa32 ± 2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]25 (printed Z, ISO 527), and flexural Z collapses to 30 against 75 in XY; eSun Silk broke at 12.3 kg where twelve of the 16 plain PLAs managed 44.6–61.5 kg[7][33][34]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — Proto-pasta describes both its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA in filament form[3][8]Brittle — snaps with little warning[7]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no metal-filled creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[35][36][37]Poor — no silk-specific creep data published; plain PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[35][38]
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 Proto-pasta describes its iron and steel grades as more brittle than standard PLA[39][3][8]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength (R = 0.2)[39][28]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[4]Rigid[7]
Z strength as % of XY%82 by tensile (printed, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]76 by tensile, 40 by flexural (printed, Bambu Lab)[7]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[7]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]56 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[7]
Glass transition (Tg)°C56 (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]57 (DSC)[7]
Melting point / Vicat°C156 peak melt (DSC, Bambu Lab Sparkle)[4]158 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 66 °C[7]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50 — a loaded bar begins to move at this temperature (My Tech Fun, eSun eSilk PLA)[34]
Annealing responseNot documented50–55 °C for 6–12 h[7]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedFlammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[29][30]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[28]Degrades within weeks outdoors[28][40]
Outdoor durabilityProto-pasta markets its iron grade as rustable — the iron oxidises deliberately when exposed to moisture[3]Not documented
Chemical resistanceNot documentedGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[30][28]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water[29]
Food contactNot documentedBase resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[28]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[41][28]
RecyclabilityNot documentedMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[41]
Electrical & ESD propertiesProto-pasta magnetic iron PLA is ferromagnetic and responds to magnets[3]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[42]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[42]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[42]None needed in a normal room[42]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningPolishing is the intended finish — colorFabb and Proto-pasta both sell these grades to be sanded and buffed to a metallic shine[1][2][8]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[40][28]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[28][43]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[28]
Support material pairingNot documentedSupport for PLA (Bambu Lab)[7]
Dimensional accuracy & detailcolorFabb notes the metal fill increases die swell, so flow needs raising above plain PLA[2]55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges; gloss hides fine detail and is destroyed by sanding[7]
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.[44]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[44]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[44][45]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[44][45]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[46][45]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[46][45]

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. bronzeFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  2. copperFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Magnetic Iron PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PLA Sparkle Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PLA Metal — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Metal Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PLA Silk+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  8. Stainless Steel PLA — product page and technical data Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · tds
  9. PLA Sparkle — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. bronzeFill — product page colorFabb US · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Panchroma Silk PLA collection Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Spectrum PLA Silk — product listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. 3DJake ecoPLA Silk Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Sunlu Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1kg Sunlu Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Bambu Lab PLA Silk 1.75mm 1kg 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. CHCKX 16 Pack Silk Dual Color PLA Filament Bundle CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. YXPOLYER Silk PLA Black&Gold product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. LANDU Silk Tri-Color PLA Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Overture Silk PLA 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. eSUN PLA-Silk Magic 1.75mm eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  24. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  28. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  30. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  31. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  33. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  34. Testing eSun PLA filaments: PLA-ST vs PLA+ vs Silk PLA My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  35. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  36. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  37. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  38. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  39. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  40. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  41. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  42. 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
  43. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  44. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  45. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  46. 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