3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PVB vs HT soluble

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

PVB guideHigh-temperature support guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PVB comparisonsMore HT soluble comparisons
PVB vs HT soluble — documented properties and sources
PropertyPVBSPECIALTYHigh-temperature supportSUPPORT
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$66.65/kg median; $49.32–$79.98/kg across 3 dated product listings$209.00/kg median; $100.00–$290.00/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyvinyl butyral — a printable thermoplastic whose surface can be smoothed with isopropyl alcohol instead of a hot solvent[1]Break-away support compounded to survive high-temperature print chambers; 3DXTech sells separate grades for PC/ABS and for the PAEK and PEI class[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.10 (Polymaker PolySmooth, ISO 1183); Prusament PVB 1.10[1][4]1.37 (3DXTech THERMAX HTS1, ISO 1183)[2]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 80[5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 168[7]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg49–102 across brands; Polymaker PolySmooth 49 at 750 g, Prusament PVB 80–102 at 500 g[5][6]100–290 across grades; 3DXTech THERMAX MTS1 100 at 2 kg, HTS2 168 at 250 g, HTS1 250 at 500 g, IEMAI 3D HT-SP 290 at 1 kg[7][8]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[5][6]1.75 mm; 250 g, 500 g, 1 kg and 2 kg spools[7]
Typical applicationsDisplay models and light guides where a layer-free surface matters more than strength[1]Support for PEEK, PEI and PC-class prints, where PVA and PLA-based supports would decompose[2][3]
Diameter tolerance± mm+/- 0.03 (Prusament PVB)[4]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C215 +/- 10 (Prusament PVB)[4]Not documented
Bed temperature°C75 +/- 5 (Prusament PVB)[4]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Actively heated chamber required — it is used inside high-temperature builds[2]
Part cooling fan100 % part cooling (Prusament PVB)[4]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidSmooth PEI sheet or satin sheet; Prusa states a brim is not generally necessary[4]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning; it prints close to PLA[1]Expert / industrial hardware only[2]
Extruder requirementNot documentedA dual-extruder machine rated for high-temperature materials; 3DXTech states the grade is intended for dual-extruder printers designed to print high-temp materials[9]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[1]Brass fine indefinitely[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — 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]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a mandatory 120 °C pre-dry for HTS1 and 80 °C for MTS1[9][12]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Very high (>2 %) — 2.36 % equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySmooth), above every PLA and PETG grade here[1]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%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[1][13][4]Not documented
Drying temperature & timeMaximum 60 °C for 4-8 h depending on how wet the filament is (Prusament PVB)[4]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures; at 2.36 % equilibrium uptake the material has to be kept dry to print cleanly[1][11]No dry-versus-conditioned figures are published; 3DXTech mandates a 120 °C, 4 h pre-dry for HTS1 and 80 °C for MTS1 because trapped water flashes to steam at these nozzle temperatures[9][12]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant[11]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa51.8 ± 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)[1][13][4]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2199 ± 43 printed XY and 2010 ± 69 printed Z, ISO 527 (PolySmooth); Prusament PVB gives 1700 +/- 100 in both print directions (ISO 527-1)[1][4]Not documented
Elongation at break%5.7 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (PolyCast)[13]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa72 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 73 +/- 3 printed vertical, ISO 178 (Prusament PVB)[4]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2233 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (PolyCast); Prusament PVB gives 2200 +/- 100 horizontal and 2300 +/- 100 vertical (ISO 178)[13][4]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²7 +/- 1 printed horizontal and 10 +/- 1 printed vertical, ISO 179-1 notched (Prusament PVB)[4]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 55 +/- 7 printed horizontal and 59 +/- 12 printed vertical (Prusament PVB, ISO 179-1)[4]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa26.3 ± 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][4]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1]Not documented
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellShore D 77 (Prusa Polymers method)[4]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%98 (Prusament PVB, printed vertical against horizontal tensile yield, ISO 527-1: 49 +/- 5 against 50 +/- 5) — the most isotropic printed material in this dataset[4]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documented3DXTech marks tensile strength, modulus and elongation as not applicable for its support grades — they are not characterised as structural materials[2]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C68 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa; Prusament PVB 63 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa)[1][13][4]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C66 (PolySmooth) and 53 (PolyCast), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament PVB 58 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa)[1][13][4]205 (THERMAX HTS1, printed XY, ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa)[2]
Glass transition (Tg)°C70 (DSC) for both PolySmooth and PolyCast[1][13]225 (3DXTech THERMAX HTS1, DSC) — high enough to stay solid inside a PEI or PEEK build[2]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 70 (PolySmooth) and 67 (PolyCast), ISO 306[1][13]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
Electrical & ESD propertiesNot documentedSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq on all three THERMAX support grades (ASTM D257) — insulating[2][14][3]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[15]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[15]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[15]Open a window / occasional ventilation[15]
Post-Processing
Vapour / chemical smoothingIsopropyl alcohol vapour smoothing is the point of the material — Polymaker markets PolySmooth for hands-free post-processing to a layer-free surface[1]Not documented
Support material pairingPolyDissolve S1 is rated for PVB (Polymaker)[16]This is the support material. MTS1 is matched to PC/ABS and PC; HTS1 and HTS2 to the higher-temperature classes[3][2]
Dimensional accuracy & detailPolyCast is the investment-casting variant of the same chemistry — it burns out cleanly rather than being smoothed[13]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inIsopropyl alcohol dissolves it; Prusa describes PVB as soluble only in IPA, and it is not water-soluble.[10]Aqueous alkali, not water: IEMAI specifies an alkaline bath in an ultrasonic cleaner until the support dissolves.[8]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentIsopropyl alcohol: brushed or sprayed on for speed, or several hours in IPA vapour for a glass-like surface.[17][10]None — the alkaline bath dissolves the support rather than welding anything.[8]

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. PolySmooth Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. THERMAX HTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. THERMAX MTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  4. Prusament PVB Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. IEMAI 3D HT-SP alkaline-soluble support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. THERMAX HTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Prusament PVB — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  11. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  12. THERMAX MTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. PolyCast Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  14. THERMAX HTS2 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 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. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc