3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PPSU vs TPU-CF

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

PPSU guideCarbon-fibre TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PPSU comparisonsMore TPU-CF comparisons
PPSU vs TPU-CF — documented properties and sources
PropertyPPSUHIGHTEMPCarbon-fibre TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$337.40/kg median; $223.00–$732.56/kg across 4 dated product listings$107.05/kg median; $107.05–$107.05/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyphenylsulfone — an amorphous high-temperature sulfone polymer[1]Carbon-fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane at the hard end of the range[2]
Densityg/cm³1.28 (ISO 1183, 3DXTech; ASTM D792, Stratasys PPSF)[1][3]1.22 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 2781)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 223–733; the middle of the market is about 425[4][5][6][7]107 for the only retail listing found (Extrudr 0.5 kg coil, incl. VAT)[8]
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[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 availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist 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 and 2.85 mm; 200 g to 750 g spools[4][5][6]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 2 kg coils[8]
Typical applicationsSteam-sterilisable medical and dental tooling, and aircraft interior parts[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°C130–150 (3DXTech)[1]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[9][10]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[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[2]
Warping tendency1–5Severe — heated chamber needed[9]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[9][10]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; hardened nozzle needed[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[9]Hardened steel required — Extrudr marks FLEX HARD CF as needing a hardened nozzle where its unfilled FLEX grades do not[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Highly abrasive — standard CF composite[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[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][2][11]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[11]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedModerate[15]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.37 in 24 h and 1.1 at saturation on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[16]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[15]
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[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)MPa55 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech) and 55 (printed on side long edge, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF); 79 at yield on extruded stock[1][3][16]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2100 (printed, ASTM D638, Stratasys PPSF) and 2310 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 2344 on extruded stock[1][3][16]35 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500)[2]
Elongation at break%3 (printed, ISO 527 and ASTM D638) against 60 on extruded stock — printing costs PPSU almost all of its ductility[1][3][16]380 ultimate elongation (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 527-2/5A/500), against 490 for the unfilled FLEX HARD[2]
Flexural strengthMPa110 (printed, ISO 178 and ASTM D790, 3DXTech and Stratasys PPSF agree); 91 on extruded stock[1][3][16]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2200 (printed, ASTM D790, Stratasys PPSF) and 2215 (printed XY, ISO 178, 3DXTech)[1][3]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[3][16]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M86 on printed PPSF (ASTM D785, Stratasys); M96 on extruded PPSU stock (and an unlabelled 123)[3][16]70 Shore D (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 868), against 58 Shore D for the unfilled FLEX HARD[2]
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[3][16]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][17]
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]
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°C190 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech)[1]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C189 (printed, ASTM D648 at 264 psi, Stratasys PPSF); 207 on extruded stock, converted from 405 °F[3][16]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C230 (DSC) — the highest glass transition in the dataset[1]-24 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF)[2]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedVicat A 140 (Extrudr FLEX HARD CF, ISO 306)[2]
Continuous service temperature°C149 long-term service on extruded PPSU stock, converted from 300 °F[16]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)[3][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 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][3]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[12]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[12]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[12]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[12]
Electrical & ESD propertiesVolume resistivity 5e13 to 1.5e14 ohm-cm and dielectric strength 80-290 V/mil on printed PPSF (ASTM D257, D149)[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[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[2]
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)[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane dissolves it at 23 °C at every stress level; acetone solvates and softens unstressed PPSU (Solvay ESCR).[19]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve the TPU matrix and leave the fibre; ketones are partial solvents. Laboratory reagents.[20]
Softened or crazed byMEK ruptures stressed parts and toluene crazes them above 13.8 MPa; glass-filled grades survive where unfilled craze.[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 agentDichloromethane cements PPSU and NMP softens residual resin; both are laboratory reagents, not workshop stock.[19]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. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  3. PPSF (polyphenylsulfone) — FDM Data Sheet Stratasys · 2018-06 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Kimya PPSU-S Natural 1.75 mm 500 g igo3d · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3D4Makers product catalogue 3D4Makers · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D PPSU 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 PPSU — 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. TECASON P black (PPSU) — 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. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  20. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds