3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA+ vs PP-CF

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

PLA+ / Tough PLA guideCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA+ comparisonsMore PP-CF comparisons
PLA+ vs PP-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA+ / Tough PLAPLACarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings$107.68/kg median; $57.13–$120.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[1][2]Polypropylene reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[1][2]0.91 (Prusament PP Carbon Fiber, ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools span 57–138; the middle of the market is about 108[7][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[10][6][11][12][13]57–138 across brands; Reli3D 57 at 700 g on Amazon, Prusament 108 direct from Prusa and 138 at Printed Solid, 3DXTech CarbonX PP+CF 120[7][14][8][9]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[10][5][6][11][12]Available from several mainstream brands[8][14]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[11][12][10]1.75 mm; 0.65 kg spools[14][8]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[1][2]Lightweight chemical-resistant parts, automotive clips and ducting that must survive above 150 °C[15]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[16]±0.04 (Prusament)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[1][2]270 ± 10 (Prusament)[3]
Bed temperature°C25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[1][2]85 ± 10 (Prusament)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1][2]Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[17][18]
Part cooling fanFan on[1][2]Off — Prusa runs 0 % except 100 % on bridges[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[1][2]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented3.2 at Prusa's 40 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[3][19]
Warping tendency1–5None[1]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a brim[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything[20]Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[1][20]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[1][2]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedPrusa states a hardened nozzle is necessary and recommends a brim[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[21]Hardened steel required — Prusa states plainly that a hardened nozzle is necessary[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[22][21]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[21]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech specifies a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers or higher, and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[4][23]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[24]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[20]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low — 0.27 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[2]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Prusa measures 0.03 % in 24 h and 0.04 % in 7 days on its PP composite, the lowest figures it publishes for any filament[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.27 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab Tough+)[2]0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[3]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6–8 h; 65–75 °C for 12 h on a Bambu Lab X1 heatbed[1][2]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[25]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for the modified grades; the loss shows as poor layer adhesion rather than a strength number[25]Not applicable in practice at 0.04 % equilibrium uptake[3]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][20]No special storage needed[3]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa35–43 (printed XY, ISO 527); 53 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars for Bambu Lab Tough[1][2][26][27]21 ± 0.4 filament tensile yield (Prusament, ISO 527)[3]
Young's modulusMPa1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[1][2][28][29]Not documented
Elongation at break%5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][2]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[1][2][30][29]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2140–2393 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1][2]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²38.9–72.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched) — 5–9× plain PLA[1][2]14.5 ± 0.3 printed horizontal and 10.5 ± 0.8 printed vertical XZ (ISO 179-1, notched)[3]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 80.6 printed XY (Bambu Lab Tough+); CNC Kitchen measured ~20 vs 5 kJ/m² for PolyLite PLA[2][26]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa20.9–32.4 printed Z (ISO 527); 33.0 on My Tech Fun layer-adhesion bars vs 27.6 for PLA Basic[1][2][27]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2][26]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell78.8 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's plain PLA[31]Rockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded unfilled PP stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre PP filament[32]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — 12 mm bar sagged to 20.2 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, the same as plain PLA[27][33]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — impact modifiers raise absorbed energy 5–9×; plain PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[34][2][26]Good[35]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[3]
Z strength as % of XY%60 (Bambu Lab Tough+) to 78 (PolyMax PLA), printed[1][2]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55 (PolyMax) to 61 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]158 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — far above unfilled PP and above most engineering filaments[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]115 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C61 (DSC)[1][2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C149–151 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 62 (ISO 306)[1][2]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C48–57 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature: 48 for Polymaker PLA Pro, 50 for Sunlu PLA+, 52 for Bambu Lab Tough, 57 for PolyTerra PLA+[27][36][31][33]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[37]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[24][38]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[1][2]Excellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents[18]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[3]
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[39][24]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[39]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[40]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission. Inferred: no polyolefin was among the nine filaments in the Azimi chamber study, so this is a family-level judgement rather than a measurement[40]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[40]Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[40]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[38][24]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[24][41]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[24]Not documented
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[1][2]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detail55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges (Bambu Lab Tough+)[2]Not documented
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.[42]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves the matrix at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C, leaving the fibre.[43][44]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[42][45]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[43]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[46][45]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[43]

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. PolyMax PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Tough+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  4. CarbonX PP+CF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Black 650g — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PP Filament 1.75 mm 700 g Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  16. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. The difference of PLA and PLA+ tested! (feat. Polymaker) CNC Kitchen · 2020-08 · test
  27. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  29. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  30. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  31. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  33. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  35. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  37. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  38. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  39. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  40. 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
  41. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  42. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  43. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  44. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  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