3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PPS vs TPU-CF

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

PPS guideCarbon-fibre TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PPS comparisonsMore TPU-CF comparisons
PPS vs TPU-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPPSHIGHTEMPCarbon-fibre TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$116.97/kg median; $84.00–$200.00/kg across 3 dated product listings$107.05/kg median; $107.05–$107.05/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyphenylene sulfide — a semi-crystalline high-temperature polymer[1][2]Carbon-fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane at the hard end of the range[3]
Densityg/cm³1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech) and 1.33 (ISO 1183, Spectrum PPS AM230)[1][4]1.22 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 2781)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 84–200; the middle of the market is about 117[5][6][7]107 for the only retail listing found (Extrudr 0.5 kg coil, incl. VAT)[8]
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[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 availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[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[3]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 500 g and 750 g spools[5][6]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 2 kg coils[8]
Typical applicationsChemical-plant and under-bonnet parts needing solvent resistance above 200 °C[2]Stiffened flexible parts — damping mounts and semi-rigid brackets[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C335-345 (3DXTech printed-specimen conditions); 300-330 (Spectrum)[1][4]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Bed temperature°C110-130 (3DXTech); 100-120 (Spectrum)[1][4]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[9][10]Open frame is fine[3]
Recommended chamber temperature°C60-80 actively heated (Spectrum PPS AM230)[4]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidAdhesive required — Spectrum specifies Magigoo Pro HT[4]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[11][12]
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[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[9][10]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle needed[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[9]Hardened steel required — Extrudr marks FLEX HARD CF as needing a hardened nozzle where its unfilled FLEX grades do not[3]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[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[13]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[14][3][11]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[11]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — Polymaker states minimal water absorption at 0.05 %[2]Moderate[15]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.01 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570) — effectively non-absorbing[16]Not documented
Drying temperature & timeAt least 3 h at 90 °C in hot dry air if the filament has taken up moisture (Spectrum)[4]60 °C for 6 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[15]
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][13]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[15]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[15]
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][4][16]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2650 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 3650 injection-moulded (ISO 527, Spectrum); 5769 on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[1][4][16]35 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500)[3]
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][4][16]380 ultimate elongation (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500), against 490 for the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
Flexural strengthMPa52 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech); 141 on extruded stock (ASTM D790)[1][16]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[4]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod notched 33 J/m on extruded PPS stock, converted from 0.62 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[16]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell 105 (and R124) on extruded PPS stock (ASTM D785)[16]70 Shore D (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 868), against 58 Shore D for the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
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[16][4]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[3][17]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedGood — 380 % ultimate elongation and a damping application set (Extrudr cites longboard wheels), below the unfilled grades[3]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Semi-flexible[3]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 4649-A) — the same as the unfilled FLEX HARD[3]
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][4][16]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C107 injection-moulded (ISO 75 at 1.81 MPa, Spectrum); 104 on extruded stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi)[4][16]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°CNot documented-24 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[3]
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][4][16]Vicat A 140 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 306)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C170 long-term service on extruded PPS stock, converted from 338 °F[16]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)[16]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[12]
Chemical resistanceOutstanding — PPS resists essentially all solvents below 200 °C[2]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[12]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Excellent — essentially unaffected; extruded stock takes up 0.01 % water in 24 h[16]Not documented
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[12]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[12]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[12]
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[18]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[18]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[18]Open a window / occasional ventilation[18]
Dust & fibre handling hazardNot documentedCarbon fibre is bound in the matrix; sanding dust should not be inhaled[3]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[12]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[12]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[12]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[12]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedTear strength 165 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 34-1B)[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone — PPS does not dissolve in any known solvent below 200 °C.[19][20]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve the TPU matrix and leave the fibre; ketones are partial solvents. Laboratory reagents.[21]
Softened or crazed byNothing at 23 °C; Ensinger rates it only conditionally resistant to benzene, dichloromethane, toluene and pyridine.[20]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[21]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — no solvent welds or smooths PPS.[19]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[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. ThermaX PPS Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. PPS — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  3. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  4. Spectrum PPS AM230 Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2022-04 · tds
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Spectrum PPS AM230 Natural, 1.75 mm / 750 g 3DJAKE · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D 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. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  10. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  12. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. THERMAX PPS — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  16. TECATRON natural (PPS) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  17. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  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. PPS (Polyphenylene sulfide) — Knowledge Base Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  21. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds