3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PSU vs PVB

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

PSU guidePVB guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PSU comparisonsMore PVB comparisons
PSU vs PVB — documented properties and sources
PropertyPSUHIGHTEMPPVBSPECIALTY
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$168.00/kg median; $168.00–$168.00/kg across 1 dated product listings$66.65/kg median; $49.32–$79.98/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolysulfone — the lowest-temperature and cheapest of the sulfone family[1]Polyvinyl butyral — a printable thermoplastic whose surface can be smoothed with isopropyl alcohol instead of a hot solvent[2]
Densityg/cm³1.24 (ISO 1183)[1]1.10 (Polymaker PolySmooth, ISO 1183); Prusament PVB 1.10[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 250[4]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 80[5][6]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg168-250 across formats; 250 g spool $42 (168/kg), 500 g $125 (250/kg) — 3DXTech is the only filament supplier found[4]49–102 across brands; Polymaker PolySmooth 49 at 750 g, Prusament PVB 80–102 at 500 g[5][6]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[4]Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 250 g and 500 g spools[4]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[5][6]
Typical applicationsTransparent high-temperature housings, medical trays and hot-water fittings[1]Display models and light guides where a layer-free surface matters more than strength[2]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented+/- 0.03 (Prusament PVB)[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented215 +/- 10 (Prusament PVB)[3]
Bed temperature°C120–140 (3DXTech)[1]75 +/- 5 (Prusament PVB)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[7][8]Open frame is fine[2]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 % part cooling (Prusament PVB)[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidNot documentedSmooth PEI sheet or satin sheet; Prusa states a brim is not generally necessary[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[7][8]Easy — minor profile tuning; it prints close to PLA[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[7]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[9]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa calls PVB very prone to absorbing moisture and requires a 60 °C, 4 h dry before every print[10][11]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedVery high (>2 %) — 2.36 % equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth), above every PLA and PETG grade here[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.30 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[12]2.36 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth); 2.09 for PolyCast; Prusament PVB takes up 0.18 in 24 h and 0.35 in 7 days at 24 °C and 22 % RH[2][13][3]
Drying temperature & timeNot documentedMaximum 60 °C for 4-8 h depending on how wet the filament is (Prusament PVB)[3]
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[9]Polymaker publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; at 2.36 % equilibrium uptake the material has to be kept dry to print cleanly[2][11]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant[11]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa52 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 81 at break on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[1][12]51.8 ± 0.7 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); 53.2 ± 1.1 for PolyCast; Prusament PVB gives 50 +/- 5 at yield printed horizontal (ISO 527-1) and 57 +/- 1 on the filament (ISO 527)[2][13][3]
Young's modulusMPa2100 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]2199 ± 43 printed XY and 2010 ± 69 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); Prusament PVB gives 1700 +/- 100 in both print directions (ISO 527-1)[2][3]
Elongation at break%8 (printed XY, ISO 527) against 50 on extruded stock — nearly three times PPSU's printed 3 %[1][14][12]5.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolyCast)[13]
Flexural strengthMPa87 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]72 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 73 +/- 3 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament PVB)[3]
Flexural modulusMPa2050 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]2233 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 2200 +/- 100 horizontal and 2300 +/- 100 vertical (ISO 178)[13][3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²Not documented7 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 10 +/- 1 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament PVB)[3]
Other impact dataIzod notched 69 J/m on extruded PSU stock, converted from 1.3 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[12]Charpy unnotched 55 +/- 7 printed horizontal and 59 +/- 12 printed vertical (Prusament PVB, ISO 179-1)[3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPaNot documented26.3 ± 2.1 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 49 +/- 5 at yield printed vertical (ISO 527-1) and 9 +/- 1 on Prusa's interlayer adhesion test[13][3]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Moderate[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M120 on extruded PSU stock (ASTM D785)[12]Shore D 77 (Prusa Polymers method)[3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. Ensinger lists high creep resistance as a headline property of extruded PSU stock, which is rated to 173 °C heat deflection at 1.8 MPa[12]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented98 (Prusament PVB, printed vertical against horizontal tensile yield, ISO 527-1: 49 +/- 5 against 50 +/- 5) — the most isotropic printed material in this dataset[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C172 (printed XY, ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, 3DXTech); 181 on extruded stock, converted from 358 °F at 66 psi[1][12]68 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Prusament PVB 63 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa)[2][13][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C174 on extruded PSU stock, converted from 345 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[12]66 (PolySmooth) and 53 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament PVB 58 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa)[2][13][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C187 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 185 on extruded stock (ASTM D3418), against 230 for PPSU[1][14][12]70 (DSC) for both PolySmooth and PolyCast[2][13]
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documentedAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 70 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 306[2][13]
Continuous service temperature°C141 long-term service on extruded PSU stock, converted from 285 °F[12]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K55.8 (extruded PSU stock, ASTM D696; source states 3.1e-5 in/in/°F)[12]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 V-0 on extruded PSU stock[12]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — an insulator (IEC 60093)[1]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[15]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[15]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[15]Open a window / occasional ventilation[15]
Post-Processing
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedIsopropyl alcohol vapour smoothing is the point of the material — Polymaker markets PolySmooth for hands-free post-processing to a layer-free surface[2]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolyDissolve S1 is rated for PVB (Polymaker)[16]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedPolyCast is the investment-casting variant of the same chemistry — it burns out cleanly rather than being smoothed[13]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane, chloroform — dissolve polysulfone; ketones and esters attack it as well.[17][18]Isopropyl alcohol dissolves it; Prusa describes PVB as soluble only in IPA, and it is not water-soluble.[10]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, MEK, ethyl acetate, benzene and toluene craze or stress-crack it; methanol and isopropanol only marginally.[18][17]Not documented
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds PSU and NMP softens residual resin. Both are laboratory reagents.[17]Isopropyl alcohol: brushed or sprayed on for speed, or several hours in IPA vapour for a glass-like surface.[19][10]

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 PSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  2. PolySmooth Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. Prusament PVB Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  4. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  8. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  9. THERMAX PSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Prusament PVB — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  11. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. TECASON S natural (PSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  13. PolyCast Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  14. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  15. 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
  16. PolyDissolve S1 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  17. Radel PPSU, Veradel PESU, Acudel modified PPSU Design Guide — environmental stress cracking tables Solvay Specialty Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  18. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  19. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc