3D Printing InfoFilament comparison
PMMA vs PVDF
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | PMMA (acrylic)ENGINEERING | PVDFENGINEERING |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings | $250.67/kg median; $250.67–$250.67/kg across 1 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | Poly(methyl methacrylate) — acrylic, sold for 3D printing as a transparent glass substitute[1] | Polyvinylidene fluoride — a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer[2][3] |
| Densityg/cm³ | Not documented | 1.71 (ISO 1183) — the densest unfilled filament in the dataset[2] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg spools cluster near 50[4] | 1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 251[5] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 50 at Push Plastic's 1 kg listing; 3 kg spools run the same per kilogram[4] | 251 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in the whole dataset[5] |
| Market availability1–5 | Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[4] | Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[5][6] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[4] | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[5] |
| Typical applications | Transparent covers and light guides where PC's yellowing or cost rules it out[1] | Chemical-plant fittings, semiconductor handling and parts needing outstanding UV and chemical resistance[2] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Bed temperature°C | Not documented | 70–110 (3DXTech FluorX)[2] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Not documented | Enclosure required (passive)[2] |
| Warping tendency1–5 | Not documented | High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[2] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Not documented | Expert / industrial hardware only[2][3] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Not documented | Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[2] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Not documented | Non-abrasive when unfilled[2] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Not documented | Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns, no minimum layer height and states drying is not required[6] |
| Other hardware wear | Not documented | Hydrogen fluoride released on overheating is extremely corrosive and will attack hotend and enclosure metalwork as well as people[3] |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Not documented | Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — fluoropolymers are essentially non-hygroscopic[2] |
| Effect of moisture on strength | Not documented | Not applicable in practice — 3DXTech states drying is not required for PVDF, so there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure[6] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | Not documented | 51 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[2] |
| Young's modulusMPa | Not documented | 2450 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2] |
| Elongation at break% | Not documented | 25 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[2] |
| Flexural strengthMPa | Not documented | 50 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2] |
| Flexural modulusMPa | Not documented | 1800 (printed XY, ISO 178)[2] |
| Other impact data | Not documented | Izod 133 J/m on extruded PVDF stock, converted from 2.49 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[7] |
| Brittleness1–5 | Not documented | Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[2] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Not documented | Rockwell M79 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D785)[7] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Not documented | Slightly flexible in thin sections[2] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | Not documented | 149 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 300 °F)[7] |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | Not documented | 113 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 235 °F)[7] |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | Not documented | 170 melting (ISO 11357)[2] |
| Continuous service temperature°C | Not documented | 149 long term and short term on extruded PVDF stock (converted from 300 °F)[7] |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | Not documented | 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[7] |
| Flammability / UL 94 | Not documented | UL 94 V-0 on extruded PVDF stock; Ensinger lists inherent flame resistance[7] |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Not documented | Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Ensinger lists good UV and weather resistance and high gamma radiation resistance for PVDF stock[2][7] |
| Chemical resistance | Not documented | Outstanding — resistant to most acids, solvents and oxidising agents, which is the reason to use it[2] |
| Water / humidity resistance in service1–5 | Not documented | Excellent — essentially unaffected[2] |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | Not documented | Very high — toxic decomposition products; local exhaust mandatory. Above 315 °C thermal decomposition yields hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide[3] |
| Hazardous species emitted | Not documented | 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[3] |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Not documented | Local exhaust to outside / fume hood — the SDS states local exhaust is preferred[3] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Not documented | Molten 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[3] |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | Not documented | The processing window sits well below the 315 °C decomposition threshold, so nozzle temperature must be controlled rather than raised to chase flow[2][3] |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | Acetone, MEK, ethyl and butyl acetate, THF, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride dissolve it; the last two are laboratory reagents.[8] | THF, MEK, DMF, DMAc, NMP, DMSO and trimethyl phosphate dissolve 5–10 wt% at ambient — Arkema's active solvents, all lab reagents.[9] |
| Softened or crazed by | Alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, oils and phthalate plasticisers craze it, and the threshold falls as stress rises.[8] | Acetone, MIBK, cyclohexanone, butyl acetate and glycol ethers swell it; alkalis above pH 12 attack the homopolymer.[9][10] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | Dichloromethane acrylic cement (IPS Weld-On 3): 2–5 min soak, 17.2 MPa lap shear at one week. Controlled carcinogen.[11] | None for the workshop — the active solvents (NMP, DMAc, DMF) are laboratory reagents used for casting membranes, not joints.[9] |
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
- PMMA Filament 1.75mm 1kg — product page Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
- FluorX PVDF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- FluorX PVDF Safety Data Sheet v1.1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · msds
- Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- FluorX PVDF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- TECAFLON PVDF natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- Chemical resistance of PMMA products Mitsubishi Chemical (Acrypet) · 2026-08 · tds
- Kynar PVDF — Design properties: solubility and irradiation (active and latent solvents) Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
- Kynar PVDF resin — chemical and fuel resistance Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
- Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds