3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA vs PVA

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

PLA (standard) 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 (standard)PLAPVA (soluble support)SUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings$65.98/kg median; $42.00–$96.00/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[1][2]Polyvinyl alcohol — a water-soluble support polymer[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[1][5][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 20[6][7][8]1 kg-equivalent spools span 42–96; the middle of the market is about 66[9][10][11][12]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[13][14][15][16]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[9][10][11][17][12]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[18][19]Stocked by most mainstream brands[9][10][11][17][12]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[6][20][21][15][22]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[9][10]
Typical applicationsConcept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[23]Dissolvable support for PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG — Polymaker names those four for PolyDissolve S1[4]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[1][6][24]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[1][5][2]215–225 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Bed temperature°C25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[1][5][2]25–60 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[5][18]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fan100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[1][19]Part cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[25]
Bed surface & adhesion aidSmooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[5][26][19]PEI sheet or painter's tape[25]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[27]4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4]
Warping tendency1–5None[28][18]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[5][2][19]Sticks to most surfaces[25]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[5][19][29]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[25]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[18][19]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; PVA is unusable once it has taken up moisture[30][4]
Extruder requirementAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[18]A 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[18]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[28][18]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[18][19]Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet PVA foams and carbonises in the nozzle[30]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[26][31]High — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; Simplify3D warns PVA clogs if the nozzle is left hot while not extruding[25]
Hotend requirementAny standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[18]No special hot-end required, but the nozzle must not be parked hot[25]
Other hardware wearNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[28][18]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[2][5][32]Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker measures 10.21 % equilibrium water absorption, by far the highest in the dataset[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[2][5]10.21 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[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][31]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[30]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface; with PVA this progresses to clogging[30]
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[30]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[30]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][19]Sealed with desiccant at all times; PVA takes up water faster than any other filament here[30][4]
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][33][34]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][5][2]Not documented
Elongation at break%6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[5][2][1]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[1][5][2][35]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[1][5][2][35]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[5][2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[1][2]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[1][2][34]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[26][28]Not documented
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][36]Not documented
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[37][38]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; PVA is not used structurally[3]
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)[39][26]Poor — fails after a few cycles[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[28]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[5][2][34]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°C55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1][5][2]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1][5][2]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C55–61 (DSC)[1][5][2]60 (3DXTech AquaTek, DSC)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°C145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[23][5][2]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[28][34]Bounded by a glass transition of 60 °C[3]
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][40]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)[41]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][5]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[26][23]Degrades within weeks outdoors, and dissolves in rain long before UV matters[4]
Outdoor durabilityNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[23][26]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[5][26]Dissolves in water; unusable in any wet or humid service environment[4][25]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[2][42]Dissolves or disintegrates — by design[4][3]
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[26][42]Not offered as a food-contact material[3]
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[42][26][2]PVA is water-soluble and biodegrades in wastewater treatment, but Simplify3D notes disposal should follow local guidance[25]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[42]Dissolved PVA goes to drain rather than to recycling[25]
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[43]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[43]
VOC emission rateµg/min4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[43]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[43]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[43]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[43]Open a window / occasional ventilation[43]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[23][26]Not sanded — it is dissolved away rather than finished[25]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[26][24]Not applicable — PVA is a sacrificial support[25]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[26]Water is the solvent; no vapour smoothing is used[4]
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[5][2]This is the support material; Polymaker pairs PolyDissolve S1 with PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG[4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[28][2][19]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.[44]Water — tap water works cold, warm moving water is faster; 6–12 h typical, changing the water every few hours.[45][46]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[44][47]Nothing else: polyvinyl alcohol resists organic solvents, so an IPA or acetone rinse leaves the support intact.[48]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[49][47]None — water dissolves PVA rather than welding it, and no solvent gives it a smoothed surface.[45]

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. 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. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. YXPOLYER PVA 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI 3D E-WATER water-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Reli3D PVA Filament 1.75 mm 500 g Natural — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  24. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  25. PVA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  28. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  29. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  32. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  33. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  34. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  35. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  36. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  37. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  38. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  39. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  40. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  41. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  42. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  43. 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
  44. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  45. PolyDissolve S1 — Polymaker Wiki Polymaker · 2026-08 · doc
  46. 3DXTech AquaTek PVA product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  47. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  48. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds
  49. 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