3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PP-CF vs TPU soft

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

Carbon-fibre PP (PP-CF) guideSoft TPU (below 85A) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PP-CF comparisonsMore TPU soft comparisons
PP-CF vs TPU soft — documented properties and sources
PropertyCarbon-fibre PP (PP-CF)POLYOLEFINSoft TPU (below 85A)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$107.68/kg median; $57.13–$120.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$114.04/kg median; $109.80–$122.27/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolypropylene reinforced with chopped carbon fibre[1][2]Very soft thermoplastic elastomers below 85 Shore A. Fiberlogy's FiberFlex 30D measures 81 Shore A, the softest grade with a published datasheet found here[3]
Densityg/cm³0.91 (Prusament PP Carbon Fiber, ISO 1183)[1]1.07 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 57–138; the middle of the market is about 108[4][5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 115[7][8][9]
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[4][10][5][6]110–122 at 1 kg-equivalent; Recreus 70A 110 and 60A 116 at 500 g, NinjaTek Edge 83A 112, NinjaTek Chinchilla 75A 122; the Recreus 3 kg spools fall to 70–73[7][9][8]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][10]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][11][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.65 kg spools[10][5]1.75, 2.85 and 3 mm; 0.5, 0.85, 1, 2 and 3 kg spools[3][7][12][8]
Typical applicationsLightweight chemical-resistant parts, automotive clips and ducting that must survive above 150 °C[13]Highly compliant seals, soft grips and prosthetic liners[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.04 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C270 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]Not documented
Bed temperature°C85 ± 10 (Prusament)[1]50–70 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D)[3]
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[14][15]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanOff — Prusa runs 0 % except 100 % on bridges[1]Not documented
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[16][17]
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][18]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; Prusa recommends a brim[1]Not documented
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]Expert / industrial hardware only — below 85 Shore A the filament buckles in almost any feed path that is not a short, constrained direct drive[12][17]
Extruder requirementPrusa states a hardened nozzle is necessary and recommends a brim[1]Direct drive only, with a constrained filament path; Bowden is not viable at this hardness[12][11]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required — Prusa states plainly that a hardened nozzle is necessary[1]Brass fine indefinitely[19]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[1]Non-abrasive[19]
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][20]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; below 85 Shore A the filament buckles and compresses, and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates most likely end in a jam[16][17][21]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedVery high — softens in the cold zone readily[17]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[16]
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[21]
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
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[21]
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[21]
Storage requirementNo special storage needed[1]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[21]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa21 ± 0.4 filament tensile yield (Prusament, ISO 527)[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%Not documented870 at break (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 527) — the highest elongation in the dataset[3]
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[22]81 Shore A and 30 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 7619)[3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — no creep test at this hardness; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[23]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good[24]Excellent — living hinges viable[17]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[3]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedTear strength 95 kN/m (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 34-1)[3]
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 documented170 melting (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, DSC)[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[17]
Chemical resistanceExcellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents[15]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[17]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected[1]Not documented
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[17]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[17]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[17]
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[25]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[25]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[25]Open a window / occasional ventilation[25]
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[17]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[17]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[17]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[17]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone at room temperature; chloroform dissolves the matrix at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C, leaving the fibre.[26][27]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[28]
Softened or crazed byXylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[26]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[28]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[26]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[28]

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. FiberFlex 30D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Black 650g — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Reli3D Carbon Fiber PP Filament 1.75 mm 700 g Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Chinchilla product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. NinjaFlex Edge product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Filaflex 82A product page (Shore hardness and elongation) Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. NinjaFlex 85A Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  13. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  20. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  22. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  23. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  24. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  25. 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
  26. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  27. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  28. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds