3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PP vs PVDF

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

Polypropylene (PP) guidePVDF guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PP comparisonsMore PVDF comparisons
PP vs PVDF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPolypropylene (PP)POLYOLEFINPVDFENGINEERING
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$46.56/kg median; $31.99–$53.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$250.67/kg median; $250.67–$250.67/kg across 1 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]Polyvinylidene fluoride — a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer[3][4]
Densityg/cm³0.91 (Prusa PP composite, ISO 1183) — the lightest common filament[5]1.71 (ISO 1183) — the densest unfilled filament in the dataset[3]
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 cluster near 251[10]
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][11][7][8][9]251 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in the whole dataset[10]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[11][7][6]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[10][12]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 kg spools are common[7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[10]
Typical applicationsLiving hinges, chemical-resistant containers, automotive clips and packaging prototypes[1]Chemical-plant fittings, semiconductor handling and parts needing outstanding UV and chemical resistance[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–230 (Braskem-type PE/PP window); Formfutura's Centaur PP melts at 205 ± 15 °C[1]Not documented
Bed temperature°CNot documented70–110 (3DXTech FluorX)[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[13][2]Enclosure required (passive)[3]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[13]Not documented
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[13][2]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts; PP's crystallinity drives shrinkage and Prusa recommends a brim on its PP grades[5][14]High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[3]
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]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — Polymaker advises 1–2 mm retraction at 20–30 mm/s[2]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; bed adhesion is the whole problem[2][5]Expert / industrial hardware only[3][4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades — Simplify3D states no special hotend is required[13]Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[13]Non-abrasive when unfilled[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — Simplify3D lists no special hotend requirement for PP and clogging is not among its listed drawbacks[15][13]Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns, no minimum layer height and states drying is not required[12]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[13]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required (Simplify3D)[13]Not documented
Other hardware wearNot documentedHydrogen fluoride released on overheating is extremely corrosive and will attack hotend and enclosure metalwork as well as people[4]
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]Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — fluoropolymers are essentially non-hygroscopic[3]
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]Not documented
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]Not documented
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][15]Not applicable in practice — 3DXTech states drying is not required for PVDF, so there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure[12]
Storage requirementNo special storage needed[5]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa12 at yield (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[1]51 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Young's modulusMPa724 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D638; converted from 105,000 psi)[16]2450 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Elongation at break%Above 600 at break (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[1]25 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[3]
Flexural strengthMPa31.0 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4500 psi)[16]50 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa402 flexural modulus (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D790) — an order of magnitude below any rigid filament[1]1800 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3]
Other impact dataIzod notched 112 J/m on extruded PP stock, converted from 2.1 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[16]Izod 133 J/m on extruded PVDF stock, converted from 2.49 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[17]
Brittleness1–5Very ductile — bends far before failing[1]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded PP stock (ASTM D785)[16]Rockwell M79 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D785)[17]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average[1]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable, the classic polypropylene application[1]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[1]Slightly flexible in thin sections[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C74 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 165 °F)[16]149 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 300 °F)[17]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented113 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 235 °F)[17]
Melting point / Vicat°C205 ± 15 melting (Formfutura Centaur PP)[1]170 melting (ISO 11357)[3]
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]149 long term and short term on extruded PVDF stock (converted from 300 °F)[17]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented127.8 (extruded PVDF stock, ASTM D696; source states 7.1e-5 in/in/°F) — the highest thermal expansion of any engineering polymer in this dataset[17]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[5]UL 94 V-0 on extruded PVDF stock; Ensinger lists inherent flame resistance[17]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polypropylene chalks under UV[2]Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Ensinger lists good UV and weather resistance and high gamma radiation resistance for PVDF stock[3][17]
Chemical resistanceExcellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents — the usual reason to choose PP[2]Outstanding — resistant to most acids, solvents and oxidising agents, which is the reason to use it[3]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected[5]Excellent — essentially unaffected[3]
Food contactPolypropylene is a common food-packaging polymer, but no filament here carries a food-contact certification[2]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[2]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable as resin code 5, but printed waste is not accepted in household collection[2]Not documented
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[18]Very high — toxic decomposition products; local exhaust mandatory. Above 315 °C thermal decomposition yields hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide[4]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedAbove 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[4]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[18]Local exhaust to outside / fume hood — the SDS states local exhaust is preferred[4]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedMolten 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[4]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the waxy surface loads abrasive paper[13]Not documented
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 documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[13]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; no soluble support is rated for PP[13]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailShrinkage and warping dominate; the low modulus means parts flex rather than hold tolerance[5]The processing window sits well below the 315 °C decomposition threshold, so nozzle temperature must be controlled rather than raised to chase flow[3][4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone at room temperature; chloroform dissolves it at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C — the xylene-solubles route.[19][20]THF, MEK, DMF, DMAc, NMP, DMSO and trimethyl phosphate dissolve 5–10 wt% at ambient — Arkema's active solvents, all lab reagents.[21]
Softened or crazed byXylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[19]Acetone, MIBK, cyclohexanone, butyl acetate and glycol ethers swell it; alkalis above pH 12 attack the homopolymer.[21][22]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[19]None for the workshop — the active solvents (NMP, DMAc, DMF) are laboratory reagents used for casting membranes, not joints.[21]

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. FluorX PVDF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. FluorX PVDF Safety Data Sheet v1.1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · msds
  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. PP filament listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. FluorX PVDF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Prusament PP Glass Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  17. TECAFLON PVDF natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  18. 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
  19. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  20. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  21. Kynar PVDF — Design properties: solubility and irradiation (active and latent solvents) Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
  22. Kynar PVDF resin — chemical and fuel resistance Arkema · 2026-08 · tds