3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA vs PVDF

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

PLA (standard) guidePVDF guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA comparisonsMore PVDF comparisons
PLA vs PVDF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA (standard)PLAPVDFENGINEERING
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings$250.67/kg median; $250.67–$250.67/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[1][2]Polyvinylidene fluoride — a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[1][5][2]1.71 (ISO 1183) — the densest unfilled filament in the dataset[3]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[6][7][8]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 251[9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[10][11][12][13]251 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in the whole dataset[9]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[14][15]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[9][16]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[6][17][18][12][19]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[9]
Typical applicationsConcept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[20]Chemical-plant fittings, semiconductor handling and parts needing outstanding UV and chemical resistance[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[1][6][21]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[1][5][2]Not documented
Bed temperature°C25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[1][5][2]70–110 (3DXTech FluorX)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[5][14]Enclosure required (passive)[3]
Part cooling fan100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[1][15]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidSmooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[5][22][15]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[23]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5None[24][14]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[5][2][15]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[5][15][25]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[14][15]Expert / industrial hardware only[3][4]
Extruder requirementAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[14]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[14]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[24][14]Non-abrasive when unfilled[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[14][15]Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns, no minimum layer height and states drying is not required[16]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[22][26]Not documented
Hotend requirementAny standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[14]Not documented
Other hardware wearNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[24][14]Hydrogen fluoride released on overheating is extremely corrosive and will attack hotend and enclosure metalwork as well as people[4]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[2][5][27]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — fluoropolymers are essentially non-hygroscopic[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[2][5]Not documented
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][26]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[28]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[28]Not applicable in practice — 3DXTech states drying is not required for PVDF, so there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure[16]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][15]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][29][30]51 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Young's modulusMPa2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][5][2]2450 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Elongation at break%6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[5][2][1]25 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[1][5][2][31]50 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[1][5][2][31]1800 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
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]Izod 133 J/m on extruded PVDF stock, converted from 2.49 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[32]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[1][2][30]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[22][24]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3]
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][33]Rockwell M79 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D785)[32]
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[34][35]Not documented
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)[36][22]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[24]Slightly flexible in thin sections[3]
Z strength as % of XY%77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[5][2][30]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1][5][2]149 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 300 °F)[32]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1][5][2]113 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 235 °F)[32]
Glass transition (Tg)°C55–61 (DSC)[1][5][2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[20][5][2]170 melting (ISO 11357)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[24][30]149 long term and short term on extruded PVDF stock (converted from 300 °F)[32]
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][37]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)[38]127.8 (extruded PVDF stock, ASTM D696; source states 7.1e-5 in/in/°F) — the highest thermal expansion of any engineering polymer in this dataset[32]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][5]UL 94 V-0 on extruded PVDF stock; Ensinger lists inherent flame resistance[32]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[22][20]Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Ensinger lists good UV and weather resistance and high gamma radiation resistance for PVDF stock[3][32]
Outdoor durabilityNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[20][22]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[5][22]Outstanding — resistant to most acids, solvents and oxidising agents, which is the reason to use it[3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[2][39]Excellent — essentially unaffected[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[22][39]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[39][22][2]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[39]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[40]Very high — toxic decomposition products; local exhaust mandatory. Above 315 °C thermal decomposition yields hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide[4]
VOC emission rateµg/min4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[40]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[40]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[40]Above 315 °C: hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide, phenols, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and dense smoke. HF is extremely corrosive, its skin burns may not be immediately visible or painful, and exposure can be fatal by skin absorption, inhalation or ingestion[4]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[40]Local exhaust to outside / fume hood — the SDS states local exhaust is preferred[4]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedMolten polymer causes thermal burns and must not be pulled off the skin. If HF is detected during a decomposition event, cut the heat but keep the extraction running, ventilate, and clear non-essential people from the area[4]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[20][22]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[22][21]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[22]Not documented
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[5][2]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[24][2][15]The processing window sits well below the 315 °C decomposition threshold, so nozzle temperature must be controlled rather than raised to chase flow[3][4]
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.[41]THF, MEK, DMF, DMAc, NMP, DMSO and trimethyl phosphate dissolve 5–10 wt% at ambient — Arkema's active solvents, all lab reagents.[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.[41][43]Acetone, MIBK, cyclohexanone, butyl acetate and glycol ethers swell it; alkalis above pH 12 attack the homopolymer.[42][44]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[45][43]None for the workshop — the active solvents (NMP, DMAc, DMF) are laboratory reagents used for casting membranes, not joints.[42]

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. FluorX PVDF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. FluorX PVDF Safety Data Sheet v1.1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · msds
  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. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. FluorX PVDF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  21. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  28. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  29. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  30. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  32. TECAFLON PVDF natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  33. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  35. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  36. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  37. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  38. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  39. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  40. 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
  41. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  42. Kynar PVDF — Design properties: solubility and irradiation (active and latent solvents) Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
  43. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  44. Kynar PVDF resin — chemical and fuel resistance Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
  45. 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