3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PPS vs Breakaway

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

PPS guideBreak-away support guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PPS comparisonsMore Breakaway comparisons
PPS vs Breakaway — documented properties and sources
PropertyPPSHIGHTEMPBreak-away supportSUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$116.97/kg median; $84.00–$200.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$42.49/kg median; $26.00–$79.98/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyphenylene sulfide — a semi-crystalline high-temperature polymer[1][2]Break-away support compounds matched to a specific model material — Polymaker sells separate grades for PLA and for PA12[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech) and 1.33 (ISO 1183, Spectrum PPS AM230)[1][5]1.22 (PolySupport for PLA) and 1.29 (PolySupport for PA12), ISO 1183[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 84–200; the middle of the market is about 117[6][7][8]1 kg-equivalent spools span 26–80; the middle of the market is about 45[9][10][11]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg84-200 across brands and diameters; IEMAI 3D 84 at 1 kg, Spectrum PPS AM230 117 at 750 g, 3DXTech ThermaX PPS 140 at 2.85 mm and 200 at 1.75 mm[6][7][8]26–80 across brands and grades; IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE 26, Polymaker PolySupport for PLA 40 at 750 g, YXPOLYER 45, PolySupport for PA12 80 at 500 g[9][10][11]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[6][7]Available from several mainstream brands[9][6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 500 g and 750 g spools[6][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[9]
Typical applicationsChemical-plant and under-bonnet parts needing solvent resistance above 200 °C[2]Support that peels off by hand, avoiding the moisture handling and dissolution time that soluble supports demand[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C335-345 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); 300-330 (Spectrum)[1][5]220–230 (PolySupport for PLA)[3]
Bed temperature°C110-130 (3DXTech); 100-120 (Spectrum)[1][5]25–60 (PolySupport for PLA)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[12][13]Open frame is fine[3]
Recommended chamber temperature°C60-80 actively heated (Spectrum PPS AM230)[5]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidAdhesive required — Spectrum specifies Magigoo Pro HT[5]Not documented
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[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[12][13]Easy — minor profile tuning[3]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer[3]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades, but brass softens near these nozzle temperatures — hardened or plated hot ends are the norm[12]Brass fine indefinitely[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[3]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 110 °C pre-dry before every print[14]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Polymaker specifies a 55 °C dry for the PLA grade and warns brass nozzle life falls to about 9 h on the PA12 grade[3][4]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Polymaker states minimal water absorption at 0.05 %[2]Moderate — 0.64 % equilibrium water absorption (PolySupport for PLA)[3]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.01 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570) — effectively non-absorbing[15]0.64 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySupport for PLA)[3]
Drying temperature & timeAt least 3 h at 90 °C in hot dry air if the filament has taken up moisture (Spectrum)[5]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthLittle to measure — equilibrium uptake is 0.05 %; 3DXTech still specifies a 110 °C, 4 h pre-dry before printing[2][14]Not a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[16]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa50 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 65 at break injection-moulded (ISO 527, Spectrum); 94 at yield on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[1][5][15]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2650 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 3650 injection-moulded (ISO 527, Spectrum); 5769 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[1][5][15]Not documented
Elongation at break%18 at break (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) against 2.0 injection-moulded (Spectrum) and 2.5 on extruded stock — the suppliers disagree by nearly an order of magnitude[1][5][15]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa52 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech); 141 on extruded stock (ASTM D790)[1][15]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2540 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²1.3 notched injection-moulded (ISO 179-1eA, Spectrum); unnotched 18[5]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod notched 33 J/m on extruded PPS stock, converted from 0.62 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[15]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Not documented
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell 105 (and R124) on extruded PPS stock (ASTM D785)[15]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Excellent — holds load for years. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PPS stock, and Spectrum states that rigidity, strength and creep resistance are unchanged under continuous load at high temperature[15][5]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C90 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 129 injection-moulded (ISO 75, Spectrum); 204 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi)[1][5][15]43 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, PolySupport for PA12). Polymaker's sheet prints a higher figure at the higher load, which is physically inverted; treat both HDT numbers as approximate[4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C107 injection-moulded (ISO 75 at 1.81 MPa, Spectrum); 104 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[5][15]53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, PolySupport for PA12) — printed above the 0.45 MPa figure on Polymaker's own sheet, which cannot be right; treat both as approximate[4]
Melting point / Vicat°C283 melting (ISO 11357, 3DXTech) and 280 on extruded stock; Vicat softening 236 at 50 N injection-moulded (ISO 306, Spectrum)[1][5][15]Vicat 171 (PolySupport for PA12, ISO 306)[4]
Continuous service temperature°C170 long-term service on extruded PPS stock, converted from 338 °F[15]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K59.4 (extruded PPS stock, 22-60 °C, ASTM D696; source states 3.3e-5 in/in/°F)[15]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceOutstanding — PPS resists essentially all solvents below 200 °C[2]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; extruded stock takes up 0.01 % water in 24 h[15]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, THERMAX HTS2 and MTS1)[17][18]
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[19]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[19]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[19]Open a window / occasional ventilation[19]
Post-Processing
Support material pairingNot documentedThis is the support material. Polymaker publishes an adhesion matrix per model material, from very good to unusable, because break-away supports only work against the polymer they were matched to[3][4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone — PPS does not dissolve in any known solvent below 200 °C.[20][21]None — break-away support is removed mechanically; 3DXTech lists no water or solvent route for it.[22]
Softened or crazed byNothing at 23 °C; Ensinger rates it only conditionally resistant to benzene, dichloromethane, toluene and pyridine.[21]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent welds or smooths PPS.[20]None — there is no solvent to weld or smooth with.[22]

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. ThermaX PPS Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. PPS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  3. PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. PolySupport for PA12 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. Spectrum PPS AM230 Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2022-04 · tds
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Spectrum PPS AM230 Natural, 1.75 mm / 750 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI 3D PPS 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. YXPOLYER Breakaway Support Filament 1 kg Black — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE breakaway support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  13. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  14. THERMAX PPS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  15. TECATRON natural (PPS) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. THERMAX HTS2 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  18. THERMAX MTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  19. 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
  20. PPS (Polyphenylene sulfide) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  22. THERMAX HTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor