3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA+ vs PP

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

PLA+ / Tough PLA guidePolypropylene (PP) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA+ comparisonsMore PP comparisons
PLA+ vs PP — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA+ / Tough PLAPLAPolypropylene (PP)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings$46.56/kg median; $31.99–$53.00/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[1][2]Polypropylene — a semi-crystalline polyolefin with no polar groups, so it neither absorbs water nor bonds to most bed surfaces[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[1][2]0.91 (Prusa PP composite, ISO 1183) — the lightest common filament[5]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools span 27–53; the middle of the market is about 44[8][9][10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[12][7][13][14][15]27–53 across brands; Reli3D 32 on Amazon, SUNLU 44 at 0.8 kg, Fiberlogy 49 at 750 g, IEMAI 3D 53, and the 3DJake PP listing spans 27–49[8][16][9][10][11]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[12][6][7][13][14]Available from several mainstream brands[16][9][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[13][14][12]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 kg spools are common[9]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[1][2]Living hinges, chemical-resistant containers, automotive clips and packaging prototypes[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[17]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[1][2]210–230 (Braskem-type PE/PP window); Formfutura's Centaur PP melts at 205 ± 15 °C[3]
Bed temperature°C25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[1][2]Not documented
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[18][4]
Part cooling fanFan on[1][2]Part cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[18]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[1][2]Packing tape, a polypropylene sheet, or a PP-specific adhesive such as Magigoo PP — ordinary PLA and ABS adhesives do not hold it[18][4]
Warping tendency1–5None[1]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; PP's crystallinity drives shrinkage and Prusa recommends a brim on its PP grades[5][19]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything[20]Very difficult — special plates or slurry required. PP bonds to almost nothing; a polypropylene-specific tape or adhesive is the normal answer[5][4]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[1][20]Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[4]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[1][2]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; bed adhesion is the whole problem[4][5]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[21]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades — Simplify3D states no special hotend is required[18]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[22][21]Non-abrasive when unfilled[18]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[21]Low — Simplify3D lists no special hotend requirement for PP and clogging is not among its listed drawbacks[23][18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[24]Slightly sensitive[18]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[20]No special hot-end required (Simplify3D)[18]
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[5]
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, measured on its PP composite)[5]
Drying temperature & time55 °C for 6–8 h; 65–75 °C for 12 h on a Bambu Lab X1 heatbed[1][2]No drying step is published for PP; uptake is below the level that affects printing[5]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[23]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle; Polymaker still advises a 70 °C dry for 4–6 h despite the low uptake[4]
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[23]Not applicable in practice — with equilibrium uptake at 0.04 %, there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure. Polymaker's sensitivity tiers put polyolefins below even PLA[5][23]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][20]No special storage needed[5]
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][25][26]12 at yield (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[3]
Young's modulusMPa1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[1][2][27][28]724 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D638; converted from 105,000 psi)[29]
Elongation at break%5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][2]Above 600 at break (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[1][2][30][28]31.0 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4500 psi)[29]
Flexural modulusMPa2140–2393 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1][2]402 flexural modulus (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D790) — an order of magnitude below any rigid filament[3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²38.9–72.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched) — 5–9× plain PLA[1][2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 80.6 printed XY (Bambu Lab Tough+); CNC Kitchen measured ~20 vs 5 kJ/m² for PolyLite PLA[2][25]Izod notched 112 J/m on extruded PP stock, converted from 2.1 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[29]
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][26]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2][25]Very ductile — bends far before failing[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 PP stock (ASTM D785)[29]
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[26][32]Below average[3]
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[33][2][25]Excellent — living hinges viable, the classic polypropylene application[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[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]74 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 165 °F)[29]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][2]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C61 (DSC)[1][2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C149–151 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 62 (ISO 306)[1][2]205 ± 15 melting (Formfutura Centaur PP)[3]
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+[26][34][31][32]Bounded by a melting point of 205 ± 15 °C and by the 158 °C heat deflection of the carbon-filled grade; no loaded-bar service figure is published for unfilled PP[3][5]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[35]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[5]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[24][36]Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polypropylene chalks under UV[4]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[1][2]Excellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents — the usual reason to choose PP[4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[5]
Food contactBase resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[24]Polypropylene is a common food-packaging polymer, but no filament here carries a food-contact certification[4]
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[37][24]Not biodegradable[4]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[37]Mechanically recyclable as resin code 5, but printed waste is not accepted in household collection[4]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[38]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[38]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[38]Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[38]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[36][24]Sands poorly — the waxy surface loads abrasive paper[18]
Painting & finishingNot documentedPaint and adhesives do not key to untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is normally needed first[4]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[24][39]Nothing common bonds untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is needed before adhesives key[4]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[24]No practical vapour smoothing[18]
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[1][2]Prints its own supports; no soluble support is rated for PP[18]
Dimensional accuracy & detail55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges (Bambu Lab Tough+)[2]Shrinkage and warping dominate; the low modulus means parts flex rather than hold tolerance[5]
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.[40]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves it at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C — the xylene-solubles route.[41][42]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[40][43]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[41]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[44][43]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[41]

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