3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PP vs PVA

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

Polypropylene (PP) guidePVA (soluble support) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PP comparisonsMore PVA comparisons
PP vs PVA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPolypropylene (PP)POLYOLEFINPVA (soluble support)SUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$46.56/kg median; $31.99–$53.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$65.98/kg median; $42.00–$96.00/kg across 5 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolypropylene — a semi-crystalline polyolefin with no polar groups, so it neither absorbs water nor bonds to most bed surfaces[1][2]Polyvinyl alcohol — a water-soluble support polymer[3][4]
Densityg/cm³0.91 (Prusa PP composite, ISO 1183) — the lightest common filament[5]0.6–0.9 (3DXTech AquaTek, ISO 1183) and 1.13 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 27–53; the middle of the market is about 44[6][7][8][9]1 kg-equivalent spools span 42–96; the middle of the market is about 66[10][11][12][13]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg27–53 across brands; Reli3D 32 on Amazon, SUNLU 44 at 0.8 kg, Fiberlogy 49 at 750 g, IEMAI 3D 53, and the 3DJake PP listing spans 27–49[6][14][7][8][9]42–96 across brands; IEMAI 3D E-WATER 42, YXPOLYER 55, Reli3D 66 at 500 g, Polymaker PolyDissolve S1 67 at 750 g, 3DXTech AquaTek 96 at 750 g in 1.75 mm[10][11][12][15][13]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[14][7][6]Stocked by most mainstream brands[10][11][12][15][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 kg spools are common[7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[10][11]
Typical applicationsLiving hinges, chemical-resistant containers, automotive clips and packaging prototypes[1]Dissolvable support for PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG — Polymaker names those four for PolyDissolve S1[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–230 (Braskem-type PE/PP window); Formfutura's Centaur PP melts at 205 ± 15 °C[1]215–225 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60 (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[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[16][2]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[16]Part cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[17]
Bed surface & adhesion aidPacking tape, a polypropylene sheet, or a PP-specific adhesive such as Magigoo PP — ordinary PLA and ABS adhesives do not hold it[16][2]PEI sheet or painter's tape[17]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[4]
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; PP's crystallinity drives shrinkage and Prusa recommends a brim on its PP grades[5][18]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Very difficult — special plates or slurry required. PP bonds to almost nothing; a polypropylene-specific tape or adhesive is the normal answer[5][2]Sticks to most surfaces[17]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[2]Moderate — retraction tuning needed[17]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; bed adhesion is the whole problem[2][5]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; PVA is unusable once it has taken up moisture[19][4]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer; PVA is a support material, not a model material[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades — Simplify3D states no special hotend is required[16]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[16]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — Simplify3D lists no special hotend requirement for PP and clogging is not among its listed drawbacks[19][16]Very high — frequent jams without careful setup; wet PVA foams and carbonises in the nozzle[19]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[16]High — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; Simplify3D warns PVA clogs if the nozzle is left hot while not extruding[17]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required (Simplify3D)[16]No special hot-end required, but the nozzle must not be parked hot[17]
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[5]Very high (>2 %) — Polymaker measures 10.21 % equilibrium water absorption, by far the highest in the dataset[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.03 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers, measured on its PP composite)[5]10.21 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolyDissolve S1)[4]
Drying temperature & timeNo drying step is published for PP; uptake is below the level that affects printing[5]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle; Polymaker still advises a 70 °C dry for 4–6 h despite the low uptake[2]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface; with PVA this progresses to clogging[19]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot applicable in practice — with equilibrium uptake at 0.04 %, there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure. Polymaker's sensitivity tiers put polyolefins below even PLA[5][19]Polymaker groups PVA with nylon as the most moisture-prone class and says it often has to stay in a dryer while printing; there is no published dry-versus-conditioned strength comparison because PVA is not a structural material[19]
Storage requirementNo special storage needed[5]Sealed with desiccant at all times; PVA takes up water faster than any other filament here[19][4]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa12 at yield (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[1]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa724 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D638; converted from 105,000 psi)[20]Not documented
Elongation at break%Above 600 at break (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[1]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa31.0 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4500 psi)[20]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa402 flexural modulus (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D790) — an order of magnitude below any rigid filament[1]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod notched 112 J/m on extruded PP stock, converted from 2.1 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[20]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Very ductile — bends far before failing[1]Not documented
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded PP stock (ASTM D785)[20]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average[1]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; PVA is not used structurally[3]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable, the classic polypropylene application[1]Poor — fails after a few cycles[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[1]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documented3DXTech marks tensile strength, modulus and elongation as not applicable for its PVA support grade — it is not characterised as a structural material[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C74 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 165 °F)[20]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented60 (3DXTech AquaTek, DSC)[3]
Melting point / Vicat°C205 ± 15 melting (Formfutura Centaur PP)[1]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°CBounded by a melting point of 205 ± 15 °C and by the 158 °C heat deflection of the carbon-filled grade; no loaded-bar service figure is published for unfilled PP[1][5]Bounded by a glass transition of 60 °C[3]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[5]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polypropylene chalks under UV[2]Degrades within weeks outdoors, and dissolves in rain long before UV matters[4]
Chemical resistanceExcellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents — the usual reason to choose PP[2]Dissolves in water; unusable in any wet or humid service environment[4][17]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected[5]Dissolves or disintegrates — by design[4][3]
Food contactPolypropylene is a common food-packaging polymer, but no filament here carries a food-contact certification[2]Not offered as a food-contact material[3]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[2]PVA is water-soluble and biodegrades in wastewater treatment, but Simplify3D notes disposal should follow local guidance[17]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable as resin code 5, but printed waste is not accepted in household collection[2]Dissolved PVA goes to drain rather than to recycling[17]
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, 3DXTech AquaTek PVA)[3]
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[21]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[21]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[21]Open a window / occasional ventilation[21]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the waxy surface loads abrasive paper[16]Not sanded — it is dissolved away rather than finished[17]
Painting & finishingPaint and adhesives do not key to untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is normally needed first[2]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingNothing common bonds untreated PP; flame or plasma treatment is needed before adhesives key[2]Not applicable — PVA is a sacrificial support[17]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[16]Water is the solvent; no vapour smoothing is used[4]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; no soluble support is rated for PP[16]This is the support material; Polymaker pairs PolyDissolve S1 with PLA, TPU, PVB and PETG[4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailShrinkage and warping dominate; the low modulus means parts flex rather than hold tolerance[5]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone at room temperature; chloroform dissolves it at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C — the xylene-solubles route.[22][23]Water — tap water works cold, warm moving water is faster; 6–12 h typical, changing the water every few hours.[24][25]
Softened or crazed byXylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[22]Nothing else: polyvinyl alcohol resists organic solvents, so an IPA or acetone rinse leaves the support intact.[26]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[22]None — water dissolves PVA rather than welding it, and no solvent gives it a smoothed surface.[24]

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. Centaur PP Technical Data Sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · tds
  2. PP — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  3. AquaTek PVA Water Soluble Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. Prusament PP Carbon Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  6. SUNLU product catalogue SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Fiberlogy PP Natural — product page 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Reli3D Low Warp PP Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg Black — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. IEMAI 3D PP 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. YXPOLYER PVA 1 kg — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. IEMAI 3D E-WATER water-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. PP filament listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Reli3D PVA Filament 1.75 mm 500 g Natural — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  17. PVA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  18. Prusament PP Glass Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  19. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  21. 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
  22. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  23. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  24. PolyDissolve S1 — Polymaker Wiki Polymaker · 2026-08 · doc
  25. 3DXTech AquaTek PVA product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  26. Polyvinyl alcohol — KURARAY POVAL application guide Kuraray · 2026-08 · tds