3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PMMA vs PP-CF

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

PMMA (acrylic) guideCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PMMA comparisonsMore PP-CF comparisons
PMMA vs PP-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPMMA (acrylic)ENGINEERINGCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$107.68/kg median; $57.13–$120.00/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(methyl methacrylate) — acrylic, sold for 3D printing as a transparent glass substitute[1]Polypropylene reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[2][3]
Densityg/cm³Not documented0.91 (Prusament PP Carbon Fiber, ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[4]1 kg-equivalent spools span 57–138; the middle of the market is about 108[5][6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg50 at Push Plastic's 1 kg listing; 3 kg spools run the same per kilogram[4]57–138 across brands; Reli3D 57 at 700 g on Amazon, Prusament 108 direct from Prusa and 138 at Printed Solid, 3DXTech CarbonX PP+CF 120[5][8][6][7]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[4]Available from several mainstream brands[6][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[4]1.75 mm; 0.65 kg spools[8][6]
Typical applicationsTransparent covers and light guides where PC's yellowing or cost rules it out[1]Lightweight chemical-resistant parts, automotive clips and ducting that must survive above 150 °C[9]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.04 (Prusament)[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented270 ± 10 (Prusament)[2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented85 ± 10 (Prusament)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Not documentedEnclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[10][11]
Part cooling fanNot documentedOff — Prusa runs 0 % except 100 % on bridges[2]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented3.2 at Prusa's 40 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2][12]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedHigh — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a brim[2]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Not documentedVery difficult — special plates or slurry required[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedAdvanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[2]
Extruder requirementNot documentedPrusa states a hardened nozzle is necessary and recommends a brim[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Not documentedHardened steel required — Prusa states plainly that a hardened nozzle is necessary[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Not documentedHighly abrasive — standard CF composite[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedModerate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech specifies a hardened 0.4 mm minimum nozzle and 0.25 mm layers or higher, and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[3][13]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedNegligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Prusa measures 0.03 % in 24 h and 0.04 % in 7 days on its PP composite, the lowest figures it publishes for any filament[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[2]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot documentedNot applicable in practice at 0.04 % equilibrium uptake[2]
Storage requirementNot documentedNo special storage needed[2]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented21 ± 0.4 filament tensile yield (Prusament, ISO 527)[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented14.5 ± 0.3 printed horizontal and 10.5 ± 0.8 printed vertical XZ (ISO 179-1, notched)[2]
Brittleness1–5Not documentedTough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documentedRockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded unfilled PP stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre PP filament[14]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedGood[15]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedSlightly flexible in thin sections[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented158 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — far above unfilled PP and above most engineering filaments[2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented115 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceNot documentedExcellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents[11]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[2]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Not documentedLow hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission. Inferred: no polyolefin was among the nine filaments in the Azimi chamber study, so this is a family-level judgement rather than a measurement[16]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Not documentedOpen a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[16]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone, MEK, ethyl and butyl acetate, THF, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride dissolve it; the last two are laboratory reagents.[17]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves the matrix at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C, leaving the fibre.[18][19]
Softened or crazed byAlcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, oils and phthalate plasticisers craze it, and the threshold falls as stress rises.[17]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[18]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane acrylic cement (IPS Weld-On 3): 2–5 min soak, 17.2 MPa lap shear at one week. Controlled carcinogen.[20]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[18]

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. PMMA Filament 1.75mm 1kg — product page Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  2. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  3. CarbonX PP+CF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Black 650g — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PP Filament 1.75 mm 700 g Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  11. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  15. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  16. 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
  17. Chemical resistance of PMMA products Mitsubishi Chemical (Acrypet) · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  19. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  20. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds