3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PPSU vs Breakaway

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

PPSU guideBreak-away support guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PPSU comparisonsMore Breakaway comparisons
PPSU vs Breakaway — documented properties and sources
PropertyPPSUHIGHTEMPBreak-away supportSUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$337.40/kg median; $223.00–$732.56/kg across 4 dated product listings$42.49/kg median; $26.00–$79.98/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyphenylsulfone — an amorphous high-temperature sulfone polymer[1]Break-away support compounds matched to a specific model material — Polymaker sells separate grades for PLA and for PA12[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech; ASTM D792, Stratasys PPSF)[1][4]1.22 (PolySupport for PLA) and 1.29 (PolySupport for PA12), ISO 1183[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 223–733; the middle of the market is about 425[5][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/kg223-733 across brands; IEMAI 3D 223 at 1 kg, 3DXTech ThermaX PPSU 250 at 500 g, 3D4Makers 425 at 750 g, Kimya PPSU-S 733 at 500 g[5][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[5][6][7]Available from several mainstream brands[9][5]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 750 g spools[5][6][7]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[9]
Typical applicationsSteam-sterilisable medical and dental tooling, and aircraft interior parts[1]Support that peels off by hand, avoiding the moisture handling and dissolution time that soluble supports demand[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented220–230 (PolySupport for PLA)[2]
Bed temperature°C130–150 (3DXTech)[1]25–60 (PolySupport for PLA)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[12][13]Open frame is fine[2]
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[2]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[12]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[12][13]Easy — minor profile tuning[2]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA second extruder or a tool changer[2]
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[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °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[2][3]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate — 0.64 % equilibrium water absorption (PolySupport for PLA)[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.37 in 24 h and 1.1 at saturation on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[15]0.64 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySupport for PLA)[2]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry before every print because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[14]Not a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[16]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa55 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) and 55 (printed on side long edge, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF); 79 at yield on extruded stock[1][4][15]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2100 (printed, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF) and 2310 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 2344 on extruded stock[1][4][15]Not documented
Elongation at break%3 (printed, ISO 527 and ASTM D638) against 60 on extruded stock — printing costs PPSU almost all of its ductility[1][4][15]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa110 (printed, ISO 178 and ASTM D790, 3DXTech and Stratasys PPSF agree); 91 on extruded stock[1][4][15]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2200 (printed, ASTM D790, Stratasys PPSF) and 2215 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech)[1][4]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod notched 58.7 J/m and unnotched 165.5 J/m (printed, ASTM D256 Method A, Stratasys PPSF); 160 J/m notched on extruded stock[4][15]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[1]Not documented
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M86 on printed PPSF (ASTM D785, Stratasys); M96 on extruded PPSU stock (and an unlabelled 123)[4][15]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. Printed PPSF holds 189 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa (ASTM D648) and extruded stock is rated 149 °C long-term service, but Ensinger does not claim the creep resistance it claims for PSU and PPS[4][15]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C190 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[1]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[3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C189 (printed, ASTM D648 at 264 psi, Stratasys PPSF); 207 on extruded stock, converted from 405 °F[4][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[3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C230 (DSC) — the highest glass transition in the dataset[1]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedVicat 171 (PolySupport for PA12, ISO 306)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C149 long-term service on extruded PPSU stock, converted from 300 °F[15]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K55.0 (printed PPSF, ASTM D696; source states 5.5e-5 mm/mm/°C) and 55.8 on extruded stock (ASTM D696, from 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[4][15]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 at 1.5 mm, rated on the base resin[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
Chemical resistanceWithstands repeated steam autoclaving, the usual reason to choose PPSU over PSU; Stratasys also lists PPSF as passing 24 h stress-crack exposure to antifreeze, petrol, motor oil, power-steering, transmission and washer fluid at 23 °C and 100 °C[1][4]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesVolume resistivity 5e13 to 1.5e14 ohm-cm and dielectric strength 80-290 V/mil on printed PPSF (ASTM D257, D149)[4]Surface 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[2][3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane dissolves it at 23 °C at every stress level; acetone solvates and softens unstressed PPSU (Solvay ESCR).[20]None — break-away support is removed mechanically; 3DXTech lists no water or solvent route for it.[21]
Softened or crazed byMEK ruptures stressed parts and toluene crazes them above 13.8 MPa; glass-filled grades survive where unfilled craze.[20]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cements PPSU and NMP softens residual resin; both are laboratory reagents, not workshop stock.[20]None — there is no solvent to weld or smooth with.[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 PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. PolySupport for PA12 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. PPSF (polyphenylsulfone) — FDM Data Sheet Stratasys · 2018-06 · tds
  5. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Kimya PPSU-S Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI 3D PPSU 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 PPSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  15. TECASON P black (PPSU) — 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. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  21. THERMAX HTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor