3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PP vs TPU 98A

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

Polypropylene (PP) guideTPU 98A / hard TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PP comparisonsMore TPU 98A comparisons
PP vs TPU 98A — documented properties and sources
PropertyPolypropylene (PP)POLYOLEFINTPU 98A / hard TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$46.56/kg median; $31.99–$53.00/kg across 4 dated product listings$94.99/kg median; $34.99–$149.99/kg across 3 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]Hard thermoplastic polyurethane at 98 Shore A to about 60 Shore D — the rigid end of the TPU range[3][4]
Densityg/cm³0.91 (Prusa PP composite, ISO 1183) — the lightest common filament[5]1.23 (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A); 1.2 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 2781)[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 spools cluster near 150[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]95–150 across brands; Proto-pasta Clear Rigid TPU 95, Push Plastic TPU 100A 150[12][10]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[11][7][6]Available from several mainstream brands[10][12][4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75 kg spools are common[7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[12][10]
Typical applicationsLiving hinges, chemical-resistant containers, automotive clips and packaging prototypes[1]Drive belts, wheels, snap-fits and bumpers that need to flex but hold shape under load[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C210–230 (Braskem-type PE/PP window); Formfutura's Centaur PP melts at 205 ± 15 °C[1]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Bed temperature°CNot documented50–90 (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[13][2]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanPart cooling fan required (Simplify3D)[13]0–30 % (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
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]PEI 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/sNot documented4.6 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, stated max volumetric speed on a 0.4 mm nozzle)[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][16]None[4]
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]Easy — minor profile tuning; at this hardness the filament pushes like a rigid material[4]
Extruder requirementNot documentedBowden viable at this hardness — Extrudr rates FLEX HARD to 100 mm/s where its soft grades cap lower[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades — Simplify3D states no special hotend is required[13]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[13]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — Simplify3D lists no special hotend requirement for PP and clogging is not among its listed drawbacks[17][13]Low[17]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[13]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed[15]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required (Simplify3D)[13]No 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[5]Moderate — the TPU family absorbs readily; Extrudr specifies a 12 h dry at 60 °C for FLEX HARD[4][17]
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]60 °C for 12 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
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[17]
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][17]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[17]
Storage requirementNo special storage needed[5]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[17]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa12 at yield (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[1]53.7 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504)[3]
Young's modulusMPa724 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D638; converted from 105,000 psi)[18]Not documented
Elongation at break%Above 600 at break (Formfutura Centaur PP, ASTM D638)[1]318 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504); Extrudr FLEX HARD 490 (ISO 527-2)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa31.0 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D790; converted from 4500 psi)[18]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)[18]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Very ductile — bends far before failing[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell R102 (and M95) on extruded PP stock (ASTM D785)[18]98 Shore A and 60 Shore D (Fillamentum, ISO 7619-1); Extrudr FLEX HARD 58 Shore D (ISO 868)[3][4]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average[1]Poor — no 98A creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[19]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Excellent — living hinges viable, the classic polypropylene application[1]Excellent — living hinges viable[15]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Semi-flexible[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°C74 on extruded PP stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 165 °F)[18]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C205 ± 15 melting (Formfutura Centaur PP)[1]190–210 melting (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 3146-C); Vicat A 140 (ISO 306)[4]
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]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[5]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Months outdoors before embrittlement — unstabilised polypropylene chalks under UV[2]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[15]
Chemical resistanceExcellent against acids, alkalis and most solvents — the usual reason to choose PP[2]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[15]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected[5]Not documented
Food contactPolypropylene is a common food-packaging polymer, but no filament here carries a food-contact certification[2]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[15]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[2]Not biodegradable[15]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable as resin code 5, but printed waste is not accepted in household collection[2]Not 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[20]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[20]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation. Inferred — no polyolefin was measured in the chamber study[20]Open a window / occasional ventilation[20]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the waxy surface loads abrasive paper[13]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[15]
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]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[15]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[13]No practical vapour smoothing[15]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; no soluble support is rated for PP[13]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[15]
Dimensional accuracy & detailShrinkage and warping dominate; the low modulus means parts flex rather than hold tolerance[5]Tear 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 it at 60 °C and xylene at about 118 °C — the xylene-solubles route.[21][22]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[23]
Softened or crazed byXylene, decalin, CCl4 and chlorobenzene are heavily absorbed at 20 °C; oleum, chlorosulphonic acid and bromine destroy it.[21]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[23]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — nothing softens PP at room temperature, so joints have to be welded thermally rather than chemically.[21]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[23]

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. 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 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. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PP filament listing 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Polypropylene — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 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. Prusament PP Glass Fiber Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-11 · tds
  17. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  18. TECAFINE PP natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  19. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  20. 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
  21. Pro-fax and Moplen polypropylene — Chemical Resistance Guide (20, 60 and 100 °C) LyondellBasell · 2026-08 · tds
  22. US 5,278,282 Polymer recycling by selective dissolution — xylene dissolution temperatures Nauman & Lynch, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 1994-01 · paper
  23. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds