3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PMMA vs PP-GF

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

PMMA (acrylic) guideGlass-fibre PP (PP-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PMMA comparisonsMore PP-GF comparisons
PMMA vs PP-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPMMA (acrylic)ENGINEERINGGlass-fibre PP (PP-GF)POLYOLEFIN
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings$49.09/kg median; $46.27–$86.01/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 glass fibre[2][3]
Densityg/cm³Not documented1.12 (Prusament PP Glass Fiber, ISO 1183) — the glass lifts it above water[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[4]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 49[5][6][7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg50 at Push Plastic's 1 kg listing; 3 kg spools run the same per kilogram[4]46-86 across brands; BCN3D PP GF30 46 at 700 g, BASF Ultrafuse PP GF30 49 at 2.2 kg, Prusament PP Glass Fiber 86 at 850 g[5][6][7]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[4]Available from several mainstream brands[5][6][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 700 g, 850 g and 2.2 kg spools[5][6][7]
Typical applicationsTransparent covers and light guides where PC's yellowing or cost rules it out[1]Stiff, chemically resistant parts where PP-CF's cost or conductivity is unwanted[3]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.04 (Prusament)[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented245 ± 10 (Prusament) — 25 °C below the carbon-fibre grade[2][8]
Bed temperature°CNot documented95 ± 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[9][10]
Part cooling fanNot documentedOff — Prusa runs 0 % except 100 % on bridges[2]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented4 at Prusa's 50 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2][11]
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[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Not documentedHighly abrasive — standard GF composite[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Not documentedModerate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[12]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedLow (0.1–0.3 %) — 0.11 % at both 24 h and 7 days, higher than the carbon-fibre grade's 0.04 % but still very low[2][8]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.11 after 24 h and 0.11 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[2]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot documentedNot applicable in practice at 0.11 % equilibrium uptake[2]
Storage requirementNot documentedNo special storage needed[2]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented46.6 ± 1.3 filament tensile yield (Prusament, ISO 527) — more than double the carbon-fibre grade's 21[2][8]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented7.9 ± 0.4 printed horizontal and 9.9 ± 0.8 printed vertical XZ (ISO 179-1, notched)[2]
Brittleness1–5Not documentedModerate[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 glass-fibre PP filament[13]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedRigid[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented138.3 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented112.6 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceNot documentedExcellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents[10]
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[14]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Not documentedOpen a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[14]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inAcetone, MEK, ethyl and butyl acetate, THF, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride dissolve it; the last two are laboratory reagents.[15]None at room temperature; chloroform dissolves the matrix at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C, leaving the fibre.[16][17]
Softened or crazed byAlcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, oils and phthalate plasticisers craze it, and the threshold falls as stress rises.[15]Xylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[16]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane acrylic cement (IPS Weld-On 3): 2–5 min soak, 17.2 MPa lap shear at one week. Controlled carcinogen.[18]None — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[16]

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 Glass Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  3. Prusament PP Glass Fiber — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  4. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. BASF Ultrafuse PP GF30 Black 2.85 mm 2.200 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. BCN3D PP GF30 Black 2.85 mm 700 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Prusa Prusament PP Glass Fiber Natural (NFC), 1.75 mm / 850 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  9. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  14. 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
  15. Chemical resistance of PMMA products Mitsubishi Chemical (Acrypet) · 2026-08 · tds
  16. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  17. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  18. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds