3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

rPLA vs TPE SEBS

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

Recycled PLA (rPLA) guideTPE (SEBS) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore rPLA comparisonsMore TPE SEBS comparisons
rPLA vs TPE SEBS — documented properties and sources
PropertyRecycled PLA (rPLA)PLATPE (SEBS)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$20.79/kg median; $16.05–$40.64/kg across 8 dated product listings$98.25/kg median; $76.50–$120.00/kg across 2 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPLA regranulated from post-industrial PLA manufacturing waste; post-consumer feedstock is rare[1][2][3]Styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomer — a styrenic rubber, not a polyurethane[4]
Densityg/cm³1.24 (ISO 1183)[1]1.044 printed part density (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 1183-1) — the lightest elastomer here[4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools run 20–22[5][6][7]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 77[8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg16–41 across brands; Fiberlogy refill 16, Filamentive 750 g 41[9][10]77 for the Recreus 600 g spool; Proto-pasta only lists a 50 g coil, which prices at 120[8][11]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[2][3][7]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[4][11][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[12][9][2]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05 and 0.6 kg spools[4][8]
Typical applicationsGeneral-purpose printing where the feedstock's recycled content matters more than an exact colour match[2][3]Soft-touch overmoulds and skin-contact parts where a non-polyurethane elastomer is wanted[4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.03 guaranteed by Prusa Research today; the 2021 datasheet specified ±0.05, against ±0.02 for virgin Prusament PLA[2][1][13]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210 ± 10 (Prusament); 200 ± 15 (Filamentive)[1][3]260–280 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A) — far hotter than any TPU here[4]
Bed temperature°C40–60 (Prusament); up to 60 (Filamentive)[1][3]70–90 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1][14]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fan100 %[1]Not documented
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[15][16]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented0.8–2.4 at the 10–30 mm/s BASF specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer — the slowest material in this group[4]
Warping tendency1–5None — brim not generally needed[1]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything[17]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[1][14]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[4]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzle 0.4 mm or larger; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[14]Brass fine indefinitely[18]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[19][14]Non-abrasive[18]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[14]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates on flexibles most likely end in a jam[15][4]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; PLA softens below 60 °C[20]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[17]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[15]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.3 % after both 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method), against 0.19 % in 7 days for virgin Prusament PLA[1][13]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — BASF states drying is not necessary, unique among the elastomers here[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.3 after 24 h and 7 days at 28 °C / 37 % RH (Prusa Polymers method)[1]Not documented
Drying temperature & timeNot documentedNone — BASF states Ultrafuse TPS 90A arrives in a printable condition and drying is not necessary[4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[21]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[21]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[21]Not applicable — the SEBS chemistry has no amide or ester linkages to take up water, and BASF specifies no drying at all[4]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[22][17]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[21]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa49 printed horizontal and 55 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1, yield); virgin Prusament PLA gives 51 and 59 by the same method[1][13]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2100 printed horizontal, 2300 printed vertical XZ (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2300 and 2400[1][13]Not documented
Elongation at break%3.1 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1); virgin Prusament PLA 2.9[1][13]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa82 printed horizontal, 87 printed vertical XZ (ISO 178); virgin Prusament PLA 83 and 99[1][13]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa3100 printed horizontal (ISO 178) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[1][13]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 14.0 printed horizontal (ISO 179-1); virgin Prusament PLA 13[1][13]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21 ± 2 (Prusa Polymers interlayer adhesion test); virgin Prusament PLA 17 ± 3 by the same test[1][13]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[20][19]Very ductile — bends far before failing[4]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell80 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); virgin Prusament PLA 81[1][13]89 Shore A and 29 Shore D (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 7619-1)[4]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — no recycled-PLA creep data published; virgin PLA sagged from 12 to 18.7–20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[23][24]Poor — no SEBS creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[25]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength (R = 0.2)[26][20]Excellent — living hinges viable[16]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[19]Rubbery / highly elastic[4]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 111 mm³ (ISO 4649) — the poorest abrasion resistance in this group, well behind TPU[4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the same as virgin Prusament PLA[1][13]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa); virgin Prusament PLA 55[1][13]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented242–249 melting (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 11357-3)[4]
Continuous service temperature°C55 (Filamentive states heat resistance up to 55 °C)[3]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[27]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[22][28]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[20][29]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[16]
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[28][20]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[16]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water[22]Excellent — essentially unaffected[4]
Food contactFilamentive certifies its rPLA to EN 71-3 and lists it food safe; printed layer grooves still harbour bacteria[3][20]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[16]
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[3]Not biodegradable[16]
RecyclabilityThe feedstock itself; Filamentive uses 50 % post-industrial content and runs a PLA take-back scheme[3][10]Not accepted in household plastic collection[16]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[30]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[30]
Hazardous species emittedPrusament rPLA Corn Pigment uses organic waste pigments such as red algae, which give a noticeable scent while printing[2]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[30]Open a window / occasional ventilation[30]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[29][20]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[16]
Gluing & solvent weldingSuperglue for most joints; acetone works on some grades depending on additives and colour[2]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[16]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[20]No practical vapour smoothing[16]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[16]
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.[31]Toluene dissolves SEBS at room temperature — Kraton quotes solution viscosity at 25 % mass in toluene, 25 °C.[32]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[31][33]Soaking in hydrocarbon solvents and oils deteriorates it; short exposures are tolerated. Resists water, acids and bases.[32]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[34][33]Toluene will weld it, though the joint stays soft; no workshop-safe agent, and vapour smoothing is not practical.[32]

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. Prusament PLA Recycled Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2021-12 · tds
  2. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Ultrafuse TPS 90A Technical Data Sheet (Version 1.1, SEBS) BASF Forward AM · 2020-12 · tds
  5. 3D-Fuel ReFuel Recycled PLA 1kg 3D-Fuel · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Proto-pasta Black Recycled PLA 1kg Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Formfutura ReForm rPLA (White) 1kg Filament2Print · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Filamentive PLA (rPLA) 750 g CREATE Education · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Kimya PLA-R 750 g Crea3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  14. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  19. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  23. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  24. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  25. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  26. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  27. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  28. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  29. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  30. 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
  31. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  32. KRATON polymers Grade Range — chemical resistance and toluene solution data Kraton Corporation · 2025-07 · tds
  33. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  34. 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