3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA+ vs PVA

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

PLA+ / Tough PLA guidePVA (soluble support) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA+ comparisonsMore PVA comparisons
PLA+ vs PVA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA+ / Tough PLAPLAPVA (soluble support)SUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings$65.98/kg median; $42.00–$96.00/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[1][2]Polyvinyl alcohol — a water-soluble support polymer[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[1][2]0.6–0.9 (3DXTech AquaTek, ISO 1183) and 1.13 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools span 42–96; the middle of the market is about 66[7][8][9][10]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[11][6][12][13][14]42–96 across brands; IEMAI 3D E-WATER 42, YXPOLYER 55, Reli3D 66 at 500 g, Polymaker PolyDissolve S1 67 at 750 g, 3DXTech AquaTek 96 at 750 g in 1.75 mm[7][8][9][15][10]
Market availability1–5Stocked by most mainstream brands[11][5][6][12][13]Stocked by most mainstream brands[7][8][9][15][10]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[12][13][11]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[7][8]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[1][2]Dissolvable support for PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG — Polymaker names those four for PolyDissolve S1[4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[16]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[1][2]215–225 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Bed temperature°C25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[1][2]25–60 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1][2]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanFan on[1][2]Part cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[17]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[1][2]PEI sheet or painter's tape[17]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4]
Warping tendency1–5None[1]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything[18]Sticks to most surfaces[17]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[1][18]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[17]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[1][2]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; PVA is unusable once it has taken up moisture[19][4]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer; PVA is a support material, not a model material[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[20]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[21][20]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[20]Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet PVA foams and carbonises in the nozzle[19]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[22]High — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; Simplify3D warns PVA clogs if the nozzle is left hot while not extruding[17]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[18]No special hot-end required, but the nozzle must not be parked hot[17]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low — 0.27 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[2]Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker measures 10.21 % equilibrium water absorption, by far the highest in the dataset[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.27 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab Tough+)[2]10.21 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
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[19]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface; with PVA this progresses to clogging[19]
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[19]Polymaker groups PVA with nylon as the most moisture-prone class and says it often has to stay in a dryer while printing; there is no published dry-versus-conditioned strength comparison because PVA is not a structural material[19]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][18]Sealed with desiccant at all times; PVA takes up water faster than any other filament here[19][4]
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][23][24]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[1][2][25][26]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][27][26]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]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][23]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][24]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2][23]Not documented
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[28]Not documented
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[24][29]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; PVA is not used structurally[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[30][2][23]Poor — fails after a few cycles[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%60 (Bambu Lab Tough+) to 78 (PolyMax PLA), printed[1][2]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documented3DXTech marks tensile strength, modulus and elongation as not applicable for its PVA support grade — it is not characterised as a structural material[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55 (PolyMax) to 61 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2]Not documented
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]60 (3DXTech AquaTek, DSC)[3]
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+[24][31][28][29]Bounded by a glass transition of 60 °C[3]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[32]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[22][33]Degrades within weeks outdoors, and dissolves in rain long before UV matters[4]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[1][2]Dissolves in water; unusable in any wet or humid service environment[4][17]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedDissolves or disintegrates — by design[4][3]
Food contactBase resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[22]Not offered as a food-contact material[3]
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[34][22]PVA is water-soluble and biodegrades in wastewater treatment, but Simplify3D notes disposal should follow local guidance[17]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[34]Dissolved PVA goes to drain rather than to recycling[17]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, 3DXTech AquaTek PVA)[3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[35]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[35]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[35]Open a window / occasional ventilation[35]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[33][22]Not sanded — it is dissolved away rather than finished[17]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[22][36]Not applicable — PVA is a sacrificial support[17]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[22]Water is the solvent; no vapour smoothing is used[4]
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[1][2]This is the support material; Polymaker pairs PolyDissolve S1 with PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG[4]
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.[37]Water — tap water works cold, warm moving water is faster; 6–12 h typical, changing the water every few hours.[38][39]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[37][40]Nothing else: polyvinyl alcohol resists organic solvents, so an IPA or acetone rinse leaves the support intact.[41]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[42][40]None — water dissolves PVA rather than welding it, and no solvent gives it a smoothed surface.[38]

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. AquaTek PVA Water Soluble Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. YXPOLYER PVA 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. IEMAI 3D E-WATER water-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Reli3D PVA Filament 1.75 mm 500 g Natural — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. PVA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. The difference of PLA and PLA+ tested! (feat. Polymaker) CNC Kitchen · 2020-08 · test
  24. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  26. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  27. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  28. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  31. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  33. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  34. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  35. 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
  36. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  37. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  38. PolyDissolve S1 — Polymaker Wiki Polymaker · 2026-08 · doc
  39. 3DXTech AquaTek PVA product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  40. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  41. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds
  42. 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