3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA-PHA vs TPU 98A

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

PLA/PHA blend guideTPU 98A / hard TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA-PHA comparisonsMore TPU 98A comparisons
PLA-PHA vs TPU 98A — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA/PHA blendPLATPU 98A / hard TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$76.40/kg median; $76.40–$76.40/kg across 1 dated product listings$94.99/kg median; $34.99–$149.99/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA blended with polyhydroxyalkanoate, a bacterially fermented bio-polyester[1]Hard thermoplastic polyurethane at 98 Shore A to about 60 Shore D — the rigid end of the TPU range[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.2 (ISO 1183)[1]1.23 (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A); 1.2 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 2781)[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kgNot documented1 kg spools cluster near 150[4]
Price range across brandsUSD/kgNot documented95–150 across brands; Proto-pasta Clear Rigid TPU 95, Push Plastic TPU 100A 150[5][4]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[1][6]Available from several mainstream brands[4][5][3]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g and 2200 g spools[1]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[5][4]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose printing where PLA's brittleness is the limiting factor[1]Drive belts, wheels, snap-fits and bumpers that need to flex but hold shape under load[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C195–220 (colorFabb)[1]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[3]
Bed temperature°C50–60 (colorFabb)[1]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fan0–100 %; colorFabb states the blend runs on both heated and unheated beds[1][7]0–30 % (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[8][9]
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][10]4.6 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, stated max volumetric speed on a 0.4 mm nozzle)[3]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[1]Easy — minor profile tuning; at this hardness the filament pushes like a rigid material[3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedBowden viable at this hardness — Extrudr rates FLEX HARD to 100 mm/s where its soft grades cap lower[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[1]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low — unfilled PLA blend; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle for PLA[11]Low[12]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed[9]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[8]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; colorFabb publishes no figure for the blend[13][14]Moderate — the TPU family absorbs readily; Extrudr specifies a 12 h dry at 60 °C for FLEX HARD[3][12]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60 °C for 12 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[3]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[12]
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[12]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[12]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[12]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa62–64 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[1]53.7 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504)[2]
Young's modulusMPa2960–3070 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb)[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%4 and 11 (ISO 527-1A, colorFabb; two grades quoted)[1]318 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504); Extrudr FLEX HARD 490 (ISO 527-2)[2][3]
Flexural modulusMPa2500–3300 flexural modulus (ISO 178, colorFabb)[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²2.8–3.7 (ISO 179, notched, colorFabb)[1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate — colorFabb positions the blend as tougher and less brittle than its generic PLA grades[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented98 Shore A and 60 Shore D (Fillamentum, ISO 7619-1); Extrudr FLEX HARD 58 Shore D (ISO 868)[2][3]
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[15][16][17]Poor — no 98A creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[18]
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]Excellent — living hinges viable[9]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[2][3]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 23 mm³ (Fillamentum, ISO 4649 method A) and 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 4649-A) — the best abrasion figures in the group[2][3]
Thermal Properties
Melting point / Vicat°CAbove 155 melting (ISO 3146-C)[1]190–210 melting (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 3146-C); Vicat A 140 (ISO 306)[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[20]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[9]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[9]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[9]
Biodegradability / compostabilitycolorFabb states the PHA component is 100 % biodegradable[1]Not biodegradable[9]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[9]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[21]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[21]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[21]Open a window / occasional ventilation[21]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[9]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[9]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[9]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[9]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedTear strength 170 kN/m (Fillamentum, ISO 34-1) and 175 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 34-1B)[2][3]
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]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[23]
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][24]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[23]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[25][24]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[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. Flexfill TPU 98A Technical Data Sheet Fillamentum · 2019-08 · tds
  3. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  4. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. woodFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  7. glowFill technical data sheet colorFabb · 2026-08 · tds
  8. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  9. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  14. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  15. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  16. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  17. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · 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. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  25. 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