3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PPS-CF vs TPU-CF

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

Fibre-reinforced PPS guideCarbon-fibre TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PPS-CF comparisonsMore TPU-CF comparisons
PPS-CF vs TPU-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyFibre-reinforced PPSHIGHTEMPCarbon-fibre TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$139.98/kg median; $119.98–$174.17/kg across 5 dated product listings$107.05/kg median; $107.05–$107.05/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryCarbon-fibre reinforced PPS — Polymaker's Fiberon grade is nominally 10 wt%[1]Carbon-fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane at the hard end of the range[2]
Densityg/cm³1.29 (Fiberon PPS-CF10) and 1.36 (Fiberon PPS-GF20), ISO 1183[1][3]1.22 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 2781)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 93–174; the middle of the market is about 140[4][5][6][7]107 for the only retail listing found (Extrudr 0.5 kg coil, incl. VAT)[8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg93-174 across brands and formats; Polymaker Fiberon PPS-GF20 93 at 3 kg, IEMAI 3D CF-PPS 131 at 750 g, LEHVOSS Luvocom 3F PPS CF 9938 164 at 2.3 kg, Bambu Lab PPS-CF 174 at 750 g[4][5][6][7]One listing only: EUR 49.56 incl. VAT per 0.5 kg coil, direct from Extrudr; no reseller or second brand found[8]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[4][5][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands — Extrudr's FLEX HARD CF is the only carbon-filled flexible with a published datasheet found here[2]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5 kg spools[4]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 2 kg coils[8]
Typical applicationsChemical and automotive parts needing PPS chemistry with structural stiffness[1]Stiffened flexible parts — damping mounts and semi-rigid brackets[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker states its Fiberon PPS-CF10 needs no heated chamber, unlike the unfilled sulfones and PAEKs[1]Open frame is fine[2]
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[9][10]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented1.6–8 at the 20–100 mm/s Extrudr specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[1]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle needed[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Hardened steel required — Extrudr marks FLEX HARD CF as needing a hardened nozzle where its unfilled FLEX grades do not[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; Polymaker specifies hardened steel or ruby nozzles for carbon-filled PPS and Prusa lists composites as a higher clogging risk[11][12]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; a flexible base plus chopped carbon fibre, which Prusa lists as a higher nozzle-clogging risk, and Extrudr requires a hardened nozzle[12][2][9]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[9]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1–0.3 %) — 0.225 % equilibrium for Fiberon PPS-CF10 and 0.11 % for PPS-GF20[1][3]Moderate[13]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.225 equilibrium (Fiberon PPS-CF10); 0.11 (PPS-GF20)[1][3]Not documented
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60 °C for 6 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[2]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[13]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; equilibrium uptake is 0.225 % and Polymaker specifies a 100 °C, 10 h dry[1]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[13]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[13]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa59.4 ± 1.3 (PPS-CF10) and 64.1 ± 2.1 (PPS-GF20) printed XY, ISO 527[1][3]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa5446.7 ± 149.0 (PPS-CF10) and 4552.0 ± 54.6 (PPS-GF20) printed XY, ISO 527[1][3]35 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500)[2]
Elongation at break%1.4 ± 0.1 (PPS-CF10) and 2.0 ± 0.2 (PPS-GF20) printed XY, ISO 527 — the lowest elongation in the dataset[1][3]380 ultimate elongation (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500), against 490 for the unfilled FLEX HARD[2]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²5.3 ± 0.2 printed XY for PPS-CF10 and 7.3 ± 0.2 for PPS-GF20, ISO 179 notched[1][3]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa32.0 ± 5.1 (PPS-CF10) and 22.9 ± 0.8 (PPS-GF20) printed Z, ISO 527[1][3]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Very brittle — cracks or shatters easily; elongation at break 1.4 %[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell 105 (and R124) on extruded unfilled PPS stock (ASTM D785); no figure is published for a fibre-filled PPS filament[14]70 Shore D (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 868), against 58 Shore D for the unfilled FLEX HARD[2]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — holds load for years. Ensinger lists high creep resistance for unfilled PPS stock and Spectrum states creep resistance is unchanged under continuous load at high temperature; the fibre raises heat deflection to 252 °C at 0.45 MPa[14][15][1]Below average — no CF-grade creep test; the grade is 70 Shore D where a 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[2][16]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedGood — 380 % ultimate elongation and a damping application set (Extrudr cites longboard wheels), below the unfilled grades[2]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[2]
Z strength as % of XY%54 (PPS-CF10) and 36 (PPS-GF20), printed[1][3]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 4649-A) — the same as the unfilled FLEX HARD[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C252.5 (PPS-CF10) and 236.3 (PPS-GF20), printed, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][3]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C133 (PPS-CF10) and 125.8 (PPS-GF20), printed, ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[1][3]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C97.7 (PPS-CF10) and 95.0 (PPS-GF20), DSC[1][3]-24 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[2]
Melting point / Vicat°C279.7 (PPS-CF10) and 279.6 (PPS-GF20) melting, DSC; Vicat 267.5 and 272.5 (ISO 306)[1][3]Vicat A 140 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 306)[2]
Continuous service temperature°C170 long-term service on extruded PPS stock, converted from 338 °F; no figure published for the carbon-filled grade[14]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[10]
Chemical resistanceOutstanding — PPS resists essentially all solvents below 200 °C[11]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[10]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[10]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[10]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[10]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (ANSI/ESD S11.11)[1][3]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised. None of these polymers was in the chamber study, and all are processed far above the temperatures it covered[17]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[17]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[17]Open a window / occasional ventilation[17]
Dust & fibre handling hazardFibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[1]Carbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[2]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[10]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[10]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[10]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[10]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedTear strength 165 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 34-1B)[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone — PPS does not dissolve in any known solvent below 200 °C.[18][19]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve the TPU matrix and leave the fibre; ketones are partial solvents. Laboratory reagents.[20]
Softened or crazed byNothing at 23 °C; Ensinger rates it only conditionally resistant to benzene, dichloromethane, toluene and pyridine.[19]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[20]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent welds or smooths PPS.[18]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[20]

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. Fiberon PPS-CF10 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-07 · tds
  2. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  3. Fiberon PPS-GF20 Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2025-07 · tds
  4. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Bambu Lab PPS-CF Black, spool (750 g) 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D CF-PPS 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Extrudr TPU FLEX Hard CF — product page (1.75 mm, 0.5 and 2 kg coils, price) Extrudr (FD3D GmbH) · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  10. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. PPS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. TECATRON natural (PPS) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  15. Spectrum PPS AM230 Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2022-04 · tds
  16. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  17. 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
  18. PPS (Polyphenylene sulfide) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  20. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds