3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PSU vs TPE SEBS

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

PSU guideTPE (SEBS) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PSU comparisonsMore TPE SEBS comparisons
PSU vs TPE SEBS — documented properties and sources
PropertyPSUHIGHTEMPTPE (SEBS)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$168.00/kg median; $168.00–$168.00/kg across 1 dated product listings$98.25/kg median; $76.50–$120.00/kg across 2 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolysulfone — the lowest-temperature and cheapest of the sulfone family[1]Styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomer — a styrenic rubber, not a polyurethane[2]
Densityg/cm³1.24 (ISO 1183)[1]1.044 printed part density (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 1183-1) — the lightest elastomer here[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 250[3]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 77[4]
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[3]77 for the Recreus 600 g spool; Proto-pasta only lists a 50 g coil, which prices at 120[4][5]
Market availability1–5Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[3]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[2][5][4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 250 g and 500 g spools[3]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05 and 0.6 kg spools[2][4]
Typical applicationsTransparent high-temperature housings, medical trays and hot-water fittings[1]Soft-touch overmoulds and skin-contact parts where a non-polyurethane elastomer is wanted[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented260–280 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A) — far hotter than any TPU here[2]
Bed temperature°C120–140 (3DXTech)[1]70–90 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Actively heated chamber required[6][7]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[8][9]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented0.8–2.4 at the 10–30 mm/s BASF specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer — the slowest material in this group[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Expert / industrial hardware only[6][7]Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[2]
Extruder requirementNot documentedNozzle 0.4 mm or larger; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s[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[6]Brass fine indefinitely[10]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive when unfilled[1]Non-abrasive[10]
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[11]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates on flexibles most likely end in a jam[8][2]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[8]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Not documentedNegligible (<0.1 % EMC) — BASF states drying is not necessary, unique among the elastomers here[2]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.30 in 24 h on extruded stock (ASTM D570)[12]Not documented
Drying temperature & timeNot documentedNone — BASF states Ultrafuse TPS 90A arrives in a printable condition and drying is not necessary[2]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[13]
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[11]Not applicable — the SEBS chemistry has no amide or ester linkages to take up water, and BASF specifies no drying at all[2]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[13]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa52 (printed XY, ISO 527, 3DXTech); 81 at break on extruded stock (ASTM D638)[1][12]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2100 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1]Not documented
Elongation at break%8 (printed XY, ISO 527) against 50 on extruded stock — nearly three times PPSU's printed 3 %[1][14][12]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa87 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2050 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1]Not documented
Other impact dataIzod notched 69 J/m on extruded PSU stock, converted from 1.3 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[12]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[2]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell M120 on extruded PSU stock (ASTM D785)[12]89 Shore A and 29 Shore D (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 7619-1)[2]
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]Poor — no SEBS creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[15]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedExcellent — living hinges viable[9]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[2]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 111 mm³ (ISO 4649) — the poorest abrasion resistance in this group, well behind TPU[2]
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]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C174 on extruded PSU stock, converted from 345 °F at 264 psi (ASTM D648)[12]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C187 (DSC, 3DXTech) and 185 on extruded stock (ASTM D3418), against 230 for PPSU[1][14][12]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CNot documented242–249 melting (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 11357-3)[2]
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
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[9]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[9]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedExcellent — essentially unaffected[2]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[9]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[9]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[9]
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[16]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[16]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[16]Open a window / occasional ventilation[16]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[9]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[9]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[9]
Support material pairingNot documentedPolymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[9]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChlorinated hydrocarbons — dichloromethane, chloroform — dissolve polysulfone; ketones and esters attack it as well.[17][18]Toluene dissolves SEBS at room temperature — Kraton quotes solution viscosity at 25 % mass in toluene, 25 °C.[19]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, MEK, ethyl acetate, benzene and toluene craze or stress-crack it; methanol and isopropanol only marginally.[18][17]Soaking in hydrocarbon solvents and oils deteriorates it; short exposures are tolerated. Resists water, acids and bases.[19]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane cement welds PSU and NMP softens residual resin. Both are laboratory reagents.[17]Toluene will weld it, though the joint stays soft; no workshop-safe agent, and vapour smoothing is not practical.[19]

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. Ultrafuse TPS 90A Technical Data Sheet (Version 1.1, SEBS) BASF Forward AM · 2020-12 · tds
  3. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  5. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Prusament PEI 1010 Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2024-09 · tds
  7. Prusament PEI 1010 — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  8. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  9. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  10. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  11. THERMAX PSU — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  12. TECASON S natural (PSU) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  13. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. ThermaX PPSU Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  15. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  16. 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
  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. KRATON polymers Grade Range — chemical resistance and toluene solution data Kraton Corporation · 2025-07 · tds