3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PP-CF vs TPU 98A

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

Carbon-fibre PP (PP-CF) guideTPU 98A / hard TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PP-CF comparisonsMore TPU 98A comparisons
PP-CF vs TPU 98A — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF)POLYOLEFINTPU 98A / hard TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$107.68/kg median; $57.13–$120.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$94.99/kg median; $34.99–$149.99/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolypropylene reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1][2]Hard thermoplastic polyurethane at 98 Shore A to about 60 Shore D — the rigid end of the TPU range[3][4]
Densityg/cm³0.91 (Prusament PP Carbon Fiber, ISO 1183)[1]1.23 (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A); 1.2 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 2781)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 57–138; the middle of the market is about 108[5][6][7]1 kg spools cluster near 150[8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg57–138 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][9][6][7]95–150 across brands; Proto-pasta Clear Rigid TPU 95, Push Plastic TPU 100A 150[10][8]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][9]Available from several mainstream brands[8][10][4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.65 kg spools[9][6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[10][8]
Typical applicationsLightweight chemical-resistant parts, automotive clips and ducting that must survive above 150 °C[11]Drive belts, wheels, snap-fits and bumpers that need to flex but hold shape under load[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C270 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Bed temperature°C85 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure recommended — Simplify3D lists an enclosure as a hardware requirement and Polymaker advises one below 70 °C ambient to stop warping and cracking[12][13]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanOff — Prusa runs 0 % except 100 % on bridges[1]0–30 % (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedPEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[14][15]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s3.2 at Prusa's 40 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][16]4.6 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, stated max volumetric speed on a 0.4 mm nozzle)[4]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a brim[1]None[4]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Very difficult — special plates or slurry required[1]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle mandatory[1]Easy — minor profile tuning; at this hardness the filament pushes like a rigid material[4]
Extruder requirementPrusa states a hardened nozzle is necessary and recommends a brim[1]Bowden viable at this hardness — Extrudr rates FLEX HARD to 100 mm/s where its soft grades cap lower[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — Prusa states plainly that a hardened nozzle is necessary[1]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[1]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — 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[2][17]Low[18]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed[15]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[14]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Negligible (<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[1]Moderate — the TPU family absorbs readily; Extrudr specifies a 12 h dry at 60 °C for FLEX HARD[4][18]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers)[1]Not documented
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60 °C for 12 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[18]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot applicable in practice at 0.04 % equilibrium uptake[1]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[18]
Storage requirementNo special storage needed[1]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[18]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa21 ± 0.4 filament tensile yield (Prusament, ISO 527)[1]53.7 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504)[3]
Elongation at break%Not documented318 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504); Extrudr FLEX HARD 490 (ISO 527-2)[3][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²14.5 ± 0.3 printed horizontal and 10.5 ± 0.8 printed vertical XZ (ISO 179-1, notched)[1]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded unfilled PP stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a carbon-fibre PP filament[19]98 Shore A and 60 Shore D (Fillamentum, ISO 7619-1); Extrudr FLEX HARD 58 Shore D (ISO 868)[3][4]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — no 98A creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[20]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good[21]Excellent — living hinges viable[15]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[1]Semi-flexible[3][4]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 23 mm³ (Fillamentum, ISO 4649 method A) and 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 4649-A) — the best abrasion figures in the group[3][4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C158 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — far above unfilled PP and above most engineering filaments[1]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C115 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented190–210 melting (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 3146-C); Vicat A 140 (ISO 306)[4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[15]
Chemical resistanceExcellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents[13]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[15]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected[1]Not documented
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[15]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[15]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[15]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low 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[22]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[22]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[22]Open a window / occasional ventilation[22]
Dust & fibre handling hazardCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[15]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[15]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[15]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[15]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedTear strength 170 kN/m (Fillamentum, ISO 34-1) and 175 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 34-1B)[3][4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone at room temperature; chloroform dissolves the matrix at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C, leaving the fibre.[23][24]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[25]
Softened or crazed byXylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[23]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[25]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[23]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[25]

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 PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  2. CarbonX PP+CF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  3. Flexfill TPU 98A Technical Data Sheet Fillamentum · 2019-08 · tds
  4. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  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. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  20. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  21. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  22. 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
  23. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  24. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  25. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds