3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA vs PLA-CF

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

PLA (standard) guideCarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA comparisonsMore PLA-CF comparisons
PLA vs PLA-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA (standard)PLACarbon-fibre PLA (PLA-CF)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings$29.99/kg median; $19.00–$79.98/kg across 9 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[1][2]PLA filled with chopped carbon fibre — 5–10 wt% (Bambu Lab SDS), 8 wt% (Polymaker)[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[1][5][2]1.22 (Bambu Lab) to 1.29 (Polymaker, 3DXTech), ISO 1183[6][4][7]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[8][9][10]1 kg spools span 19–80; the middle of the market is about 31[11][12][7][13][14]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[15][16][17][18]19–80 across brands; IEMAI 19, LANDU 24, SUNLU 27, Polymaker 30, Bambu Lab 32, 3DXTech 47, Proto-pasta 80[12][11][7][19][13][20][14]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[21][22]Stocked by most mainstream brands[11][12][7][19]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[8][23][24][17][25]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 3 kg spools[19][7][26]
Typical applicationsConcept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[27]Stiff jigs, drone and RC frames, tool holders — matte black finish, no gain in tensile strength[6][4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[1][8][28]±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[11]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[1][5][2]210–240 (Bambu Lab); 190–230 (Polymaker)[6][4]
Bed temperature°C25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[1][5][2]35–45 (Bambu Lab); 25–60 (Polymaker)[6][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[5][21]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fan100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[1][22]Fan on[6][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidSmooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[5][29][22]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[30]16 at Bambu Lab's 200 mm/s cap and 24 at Polymaker's 300 mm/s, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Bambu Lab's own filament guide says 250 mm/s where its TDS says 200[6][31][4][30]
Warping tendency1–5None[32][21]None[6]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[5][2][22]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[5][22][33]Slight[4]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[21][22]Easy — minor profile tuning; needs a hardened nozzle and 0.4 mm or larger[31][4]
Extruder requirementAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[21]Nozzles below 0.4 mm are not compatible (Bambu Lab)[31]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[21]Hardened steel required[31][4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[32][21]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[31][34]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[21][22]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[31]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[29][35]Not documented
Hotend requirementAny standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[21]Hardened steel nozzle; Bambu Lab lists PLA-CF among the filaments its hardened-steel nozzle exists for[34][31]
Other hardware wearNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[32][21]Bambu Lab reports AMS wear; Polymaker advises against running PLA-CF through an AMS at all[31][4]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[2][5][36]Moderate — 0.42 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 % equilibrium (Polymaker)[6][4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[2][5]0.42 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.38 equilibrium (Polymaker)[6][4]
Drying temperature & time50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[5][2][35]55 °C for 6–8 h[6][4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[37]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — it absorbs moisture slowly and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[37]Polymaker 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[37]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][22]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa35–52 (printed XY, ISO 527); 55 mean across 16 brands and 53 for the reference PLA in a later run, both on 4×4 mm printed bars[1][5][2][38][39]31.2 (Polymaker) to 38 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 527; 48 at break for 3DXTech[6][4][7]
Young's modulusMPa2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][5][2]2790 (Bambu Lab) to 3281 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 4950 for 3DXTech[6][4][7]
Elongation at break%6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[5][2][1]8.4 (Bambu Lab) and 13.2 (Polymaker) printed XY, ISO 527; 2 for 3DXTech[6][4][7]
Flexural strengthMPa76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[1][5][2][40]51.7 (Polymaker) to 89 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178[6][4]
Flexural modulusMPa2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[1][5][2][40]3381 (Polymaker) to 3950 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 178; 6320 for 3DXTech[6][4][7]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[5][2]5.5 (Polymaker) and 7.6 (Bambu Lab) printed XY, ISO 179, notched[6][4]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[1][2]Charpy unnotched 23.2 printed XY (Bambu Lab, ISO 179)[6]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[1][2][39]15.1 (Polymaker) to 26 (Bambu Lab) printed Z, ISO 527[6][4]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[29][32]Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation in Z falls to 0.9 % (Polymaker)[4][6]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[1][41]71.5 Shore D measured on printed bars for Sunlu CF PLA (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's unfilled PLA[41]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[42][43]Poor — 12 mm bars sagged to 15.1, 19.8 and 21.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg across three brands, against 16.2–21.8 mm for their unfilled PLA[42][44][41]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[45][29]Poor — no CF-grade S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation in Z falls to 0.9 %[45][4]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[32]Rigid[4]
Z strength as % of XY%77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[5][2][39]48 (Polymaker) to 68 (Bambu Lab), printed[6][4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1][5][2]54 (Polymaker) to 55 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[6][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1][5][2]50 (Polymaker) to 54 (Bambu Lab), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[6][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C55–61 (DSC)[1][5][2]62–63 (DSC)[6][4]
Melting point / Vicat°C145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[27][5][2]162–165 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 64 °C (Polymaker)[6][4]
Continuous service temperature°C50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[32][39]50–61 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across three brands (Sunlu 50, Bambu Lab and Polymaker 61)[42][44][41]
Annealing responseBambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[2][46]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[47]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][5]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[29][27]Degrades within weeks outdoors[29]
Outdoor durabilityNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[27][29]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[5][29]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[2][48]Not documented
Food contactBase resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[29][48]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[48][29][2]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[48]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[49]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[49]
VOC emission rateµg/min4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[49]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[49]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[49]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[49]None needed in a normal room[49]
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[27][29]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[29][28]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[29]Not documented
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[5][2]Support for PLA (Bambu Lab); PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker)[6][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[32][2][22]Matte finish hides layer lines; stiffness is the gain — tensile strength stays at or below Bambu Lab PLA Basic's 35 MPa and Polymaker PolyLite PLA's 52.3 MPa[6][4][5][2]
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.[50]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[50]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[50][51]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[50][51]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[52][51]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[52][51]

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 Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Safety Data Sheet SDS20251127A50 — Bambu PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2025-11 · msds
  4. PolyLite PLA-CF Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V4.0 — PLA-CF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  7. CarbonX PLA+CF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  8. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA-CF — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. PolyLite PLA-CF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. IEMAI CF-PLA 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. SUNLU PLA-CF Carbon Fiber 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. LANDU Carbon Fiber PLA Filament 1.75 mm Black 1 kg LANDU (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  24. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  25. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  26. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  27. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  28. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  29. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  31. PLA Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  33. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  34. Nozzles — material and compatibility Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  35. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  36. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  37. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  38. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  39. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  41. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  42. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  43. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  44. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  45. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  46. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  47. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  48. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  49. 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
  50. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  51. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  52. 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