3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA-PHA vs PSU

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

PLA/PHA blend guidePSU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA-PHA comparisonsMore PSU comparisons
PLA-PHA vs PSU — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA/PHA blendPLAPSUHIGHTEMP
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$76.40/kg median; $76.40–$76.40/kg across 1 dated product listings$168.00/kg median; $168.00–$168.00/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA blended with polyhydroxyalkanoate, a bacterially fermented bio-polyester[1]Polysulfone — the lowest-temperature and cheapest of the sulfone family[2]
Densityg/cm³1.2 (ISO 1183)[1]1.24 (ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 250[3]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented168-250 across formats; 250 g spool $42 (168/kg), 500 g $125 (250/kg) — 3DXTech is the only filament supplier found[3]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[1][4]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[3]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 2200 g spools[1]1.75 mm; 250 g and 500 g spools[3]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose printing where PLA's brittleness is the limiting factor[1]Transparent high-temperature housings, medical trays and hot-water fittings[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C195–220 (colorFabb)[1]Not documented
Bed temperature°C50–60 (colorFabb)[1]120–140 (3DXTech)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Actively heated chamber required[5][6]
Part cooling fan0–100 %; colorFabb states the blend runs on both heated and unheated beds[1][7]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[7][8]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[1]Expert / industrial hardware only[5][6]
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[5]
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[9]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry before every print[10]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; colorFabb publishes no figure for the blend[11][12]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.30 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[13]
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[14]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[10]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa62–64 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[1]52 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 81 at break on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[2][13]
Young's modulusMPa2960–3070 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb)[1]2100 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2]
Elongation at break%4 and 11 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[1]8 (printed XY, ISO 527) against 50 on extruded stock — nearly three times PPSU's printed 3 %[2][15][13]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented87 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Flexural modulusMPa2500–3300 flexural modulus (ISO 178, colorFabb)[1]2050 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²2.8–3.7 (ISO 179, notched, colorFabb)[1]Not documented
Other impact dataNot documentedIzod notched 69 J/m on extruded PSU stock, converted from 1.3 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[13]
Brittleness1–5Moderate — colorFabb positions the blend as tougher and less brittle than its generic PLA grades[1]Moderate[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell M120 on extruded PSU stock (ASTM D785)[13]
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[16][17][18]Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PSU stock, which is rated to 173 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa[13]
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[19][1]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented172 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 181 on extruded stock, converted from 358 °F at 66 psi[2][13]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented174 on extruded PSU stock, converted from 345 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[13]
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented187 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 185 on extruded stock (ASTM D3418), against 230 for PPSU[2][15][13]
Melting point / Vicat°CAbove 155 melting (ISO 3146-C)[1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented141 long-term service on extruded PSU stock, converted from 285 °F[13]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented55.8 (extruded PSU stock, ASTM D696; source states 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[13]
Flammability / UL 94Not documentedUL 94 V-0 on extruded PSU stock[13]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[20]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilitycolorFabb states the PHA component is 100 % biodegradable[1]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — an insulator (IEC 60093)[2]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[21]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[21]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[21]Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[21]
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.[22]Chlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane, chloroform — dissolve polysulfone; ketones and esters attack it as well.[23][24]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[22][25]Acetone, MEK, ethyl acetate, benzene and toluene craze or stress-crack it; methanol and isopropanol only marginally.[24][23]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[26][25]Dichloromethane cement welds PSU and NMP softens residual resin. Both are laboratory reagents.[23]

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 PSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. woodFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  5. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  6. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  7. glowFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  8. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  9. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  10. THERMAX PSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  12. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  13. TECASON S natural (PSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  14. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  15. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  16. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  17. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  20. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. 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
  22. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  23. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · 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