3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA-PHA vs PPSU

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

PLA/PHA blend guidePPSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA-PHA comparisonsMore PPSU comparisons
PLA-PHA vs PPSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA/PHA blendPLAPPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$76.40/kg median; $76.40–$76.40/kg across 1 dated product listings$337.40/kg median; $223.00–$732.56/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA blended with polyhydroxyalkanoate, a bacterially fermented bio-polyester[1]Polyphenylsulfone — an amorphous high-temperature sulfone polymer[2]
Densityg/cm³1.2 (ISO 1183)[1]1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech; ASTM D792, Stratasys PPSF)[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg-equivalent spools span 223–733; the middle of the market is about 425[4][5][6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented223-733 across brands; IEMAI 3D 223 at 1 kg, 3DXTech ThermaX PPSU 250 at 500 g, 3D4Makers 425 at 750 g, Kimya PPSU-S 733 at 500 g[4][5][6][7]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[1][8]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][5][6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 2200 g spools[1]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 750 g spools[4][5][6]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose printing where PLA's brittleness is the limiting factor[1]Steam-sterilisable medical and dental tooling, and aircraft interior parts[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C195–220 (colorFabb)[1]Not documented
Bed temperature°C50–60 (colorFabb)[1]130–150 (3DXTech)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Actively heated chamber required[9][10]
Part cooling fan0–100 %; colorFabb states the blend runs on both heated and unheated beds[1][11]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s3.2–8 at colorFabb's 40–100 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[11][12]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedSevere — heated chamber needed[9]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[1]Expert / industrial hardware only[9][10]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[1]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[9]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive when unfilled[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low — unfilled PLA blend; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle for PLA[13]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[14]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; colorFabb publishes no figure for the blend[15][16]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.37 in 24 h and 1.1 at saturation on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[17]
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[18]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[14]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa62–64 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[1]55 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) and 55 (printed on side long edge, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF); 79 at yield on extruded stock[2][3][17]
Young's modulusMPa2960–3070 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb)[1]2100 (printed, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF) and 2310 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 2344 on extruded stock[2][3][17]
Elongation at break%4 and 11 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[1]3 (printed, ISO 527 and ASTM D638) against 60 on extruded stock — printing costs PPSU almost all of its ductility[2][3][17]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented110 (printed, ISO 178 and ASTM D790, 3DXTech and Stratasys PPSF agree); 91 on extruded stock[2][3][17]
Flexural modulusMPa2500–3300 flexural modulus (ISO 178, colorFabb)[1]2200 (printed, ASTM D790, Stratasys PPSF) and 2215 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech)[2][3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²2.8–3.7 (ISO 179, notched, colorFabb)[1]Not documented
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 58.7 J/m and unnotched 165.5 J/m (printed, ASTM D256 Method A, Stratasys PPSF); 160 J/m notched on extruded stock[3][17]
Brittleness1–5Moderate — colorFabb positions the blend as tougher and less brittle than its generic PLA grades[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M86 on printed PPSF (ASTM D785, Stratasys); M96 on extruded PPSU stock (and an unlabelled 123)[3][17]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no PLA/PHA creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[19][20][21]Good. Printed PPSF holds 189 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa (ASTM D648) and extruded stock is rated 149 °C long-term service, but Ensinger does not claim the creep resistance it claims for PSU and PPS[3][17]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below 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[22][1]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented190 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented189 (printed, ASTM D648 at 264 psi, Stratasys PPSF); 207 on extruded stock, converted from 405 °F[3][17]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented230 (DSC) — the highest glass transition in the dataset[2]
Melting point / Vicat°CAbove 155 melting (ISO 3146-C)[1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented149 long-term service on extruded PPSU stock, converted from 300 °F[17]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented55.0 (printed PPSF, ASTM D696; source states 5.5e-5 mm/mm/°C) and 55.8 on extruded stock (ASTM D696, from 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[3][17]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[2]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[23]Not documented
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands repeated steam autoclaving, the usual reason to choose PPSU over PSU; Stratasys also lists PPSF as passing 24 h stress-crack exposure to antifreeze, petrol, motor oil, power-steering, transmission and washer fluid at 23 °C and 100 °C[2][3]
Biodegradability / compostabilitycolorFabb states the PHA component is 100 % biodegradable[1]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedVolume resistivity 5e13 to 1.5e14 ohm-cm and dielectric strength 80-290 V/mil on printed PPSF (ASTM D257, D149)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[24]Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[24]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[24]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[24]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform dissolves the PLA phase (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C); THF and DMF need 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[25]Dichloromethane dissolves it at 23 °C at every stress level; acetone solvates and softens unstressed PPSU (Solvay ESCR).[26]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[25][27]MEK ruptures stressed parts and toluene crazes them above 13.8 MPa; glass-filled grades survive where unfilled craze.[26]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[28][27]Dichloromethane cements PPSU and NMP softens residual resin; both are laboratory reagents, not workshop stock.[26]

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/PHA technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  2. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. PPSF (polyphenylsulfone) — FDM Data Sheet Stratasys · 2018-06 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Kimya PPSU-S Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D PPSU 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. woodFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  9. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  10. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  11. glowFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  12. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. THERMAX PPSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 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. TECASON P black (PPSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  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. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  26. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  27. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  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