3D Printing InfoFilament comparison
PVDF vs TPE SEBS
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | PVDFENGINEERING | TPE (SEBS)FLEX |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $250.67/kg median; $250.67–$250.67/kg across 1 dated product listings | $98.25/kg median; $76.50–$120.00/kg across 2 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | Polyvinylidene fluoride — a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer[1][2] | Styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomer — a styrenic rubber, not a polyurethane[3] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.71 (ISO 1183) — the densest unfilled filament in the dataset[1] | 1.044 printed part density (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 1183-1) — the lightest elastomer here[3] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 251[4] | 1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 77[5] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 251 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in the whole dataset[4] | 77 for the Recreus 600 g spool; Proto-pasta only lists a 50 g coil, which prices at 120[5][6] |
| Market availability1–5 | Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[4][7] | Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][6][5] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[4] | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.05 and 0.6 kg spools[3][5] |
| Typical applications | Chemical-plant fittings, semiconductor handling and parts needing outstanding UV and chemical resistance[1] | Soft-touch overmoulds and skin-contact parts where a non-polyurethane elastomer is wanted[3] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | Not documented | 260–280 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A) — far hotter than any TPU here[3] |
| Bed temperature°C | 70–110 (3DXTech FluorX)[1] | 70–90 (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A)[3] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Enclosure required (passive)[1] | Open frame is fine[3] |
| Bed surface & adhesion aid | Not documented | PEI 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/s | Not documented | 0.8–2.4 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[3] |
| Warping tendency1–5 | High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[1] | Not documented |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Expert / industrial hardware only[1][2] | Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[3] |
| Extruder requirement | Not documented | Nozzle 0.4 mm or larger; BASF caps print speed at 10–30 mm/s[3] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[1] | Brass fine indefinitely[10] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Non-abrasive when unfilled[1] | Non-abrasive[10] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns, no minimum layer height and states drying is not required[7] | 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][3] |
| Hotend requirement | Not documented | No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[8] |
| Other hardware wear | Hydrogen fluoride released on overheating is extremely corrosive and will attack hotend and enclosure metalwork as well as people[2] | Not documented |
| Moisture Behaviour | ||
| Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5 | Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — fluoropolymers are essentially non-hygroscopic[1] | Negligible (<0.1 % EMC) — BASF states drying is not necessary, unique among the elastomers here[3] |
| Drying temperature & time | Not documented | None — BASF states Ultrafuse TPS 90A arrives in a printable condition and drying is not necessary[3] |
| Symptoms when wet | Not documented | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[11] |
| Effect of moisture on strength | Not applicable in practice — 3DXTech states drying is not required for PVDF, so there is no moisture-driven strength loss to measure[7] | Not applicable — the SEBS chemistry has no amide or ester linkages to take up water, and BASF specifies no drying at all[3] |
| Storage requirement | Not documented | Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[11] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 51 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1] | Not documented |
| Young's modulusMPa | 2450 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1] | Not documented |
| Elongation at break% | 25 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1] | Not documented |
| Flexural strengthMPa | 50 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1] | Not documented |
| Flexural modulusMPa | 1800 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1] | Not documented |
| Other impact data | Izod 133 J/m on extruded PVDF stock, converted from 2.49 ft-lb/in (ASTM D256)[12] | Not documented |
| Brittleness1–5 | Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1] | Very ductile — bends far before failing[3] |
| Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell | Rockwell M79 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D785)[12] | 89 Shore A and 29 Shore D (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 7619-1)[3] |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Not documented | 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[13] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Not documented | Excellent — living hinges viable[9] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Slightly flexible in thin sections[1] | Rubbery / highly elastic[3] |
| Wear resistance & friction | Not documented | Abrasion 111 mm³ (ISO 4649) — the poorest abrasion resistance in this group, well behind TPU[3] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | 149 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 300 °F)[12] | Not documented |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 113 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 235 °F)[12] | Not documented |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | 170 melting (ISO 11357)[1] | 242–249 melting (BASF Ultrafuse TPS 90A, ISO 11357-3)[3] |
| Continuous service temperature°C | 149 long term and short term on extruded PVDF stock (converted from 300 °F)[12] | Not documented |
| Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K | 127.8 (extruded PVDF stock, ASTM D696; source states 7.1e-5 in/in/°F) — the highest thermal expansion of any engineering polymer in this dataset[12] | Not documented |
| Flammability / UL 94 | UL 94 V-0 on extruded PVDF stock; Ensinger lists inherent flame resistance[12] | Not documented |
| Environment & Chemical | ||
| UV resistance1–5 | Excellent — designed for permanent outdoor use; Ensinger lists good UV and weather resistance and high gamma radiation resistance for PVDF stock[1][12] | Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[9] |
| Chemical resistance | Outstanding — resistant to most acids, solvents and oxidising agents, which is the reason to use it[1] | Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[9] |
| Water / humidity resistance in service1–5 | Excellent — essentially unaffected[1] | Excellent — essentially unaffected[3] |
| Food contact | Not documented | Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[9] |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not documented | Not biodegradable[9] |
| Recyclability | Not documented | Not accepted in household plastic collection[9] |
| Health & Safety | ||
| Fume toxicity1–5 | Very high — toxic decomposition products; local exhaust mandatory. Above 315 °C thermal decomposition yields hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide[2] | Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[14] |
| Hazardous species emitted | Above 315 °C: hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen cyanide, phenols, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and dense smoke. HF is extremely corrosive, its skin burns may not be immediately visible or painful, and exposure can be fatal by skin absorption, inhalation or ingestion[2] | Not documented |
| Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5 | Local exhaust to outside / fume hood — the SDS states local exhaust is preferred[2] | Open a window / occasional ventilation[14] |
| Dust & fibre handling hazard | Molten polymer causes thermal burns and must not be pulled off the skin. If HF is detected during a decomposition event, cut the heat but keep the extraction running, ventilate, and clear non-essential people from the area[2] | Not documented |
| Post-Processing | ||
| Sanding & machining | Not documented | Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[9] |
| Gluing & solvent welding | Not documented | Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[9] |
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | Not documented | No practical vapour smoothing[9] |
| Support material pairing | Not documented | Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[9] |
| Dimensional accuracy & detail | The processing window sits well below the 315 °C decomposition threshold, so nozzle temperature must be controlled rather than raised to chase flow[1][2] | Not documented |
| Solvents & Solubility | ||
| Soluble in | THF, MEK, DMF, DMAc, NMP, DMSO and trimethyl phosphate dissolve 5–10 wt% at ambient — Arkema's active solvents, all lab reagents.[15] | Toluene dissolves SEBS at room temperature — Kraton quotes solution viscosity at 25 % mass in toluene, 25 °C.[16] |
| Softened or crazed by | Acetone, MIBK, cyclohexanone, butyl acetate and glycol ethers swell it; alkalis above pH 12 attack the homopolymer.[15][17] | Soaking in hydrocarbon solvents and oils deteriorates it; short exposures are tolerated. Resists water, acids and bases.[16] |
| Solvent welding & smoothing agent | None for the workshop — the active solvents (NMP, DMAc, DMF) are laboratory reagents used for casting membranes, not joints.[15] | Toluene will weld it, though the joint stays soft; no workshop-safe agent, and vapour smoothing is not practical.[16] |
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
- FluorX PVDF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- FluorX PVDF Safety Data Sheet v1.1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · msds
- Ultrafuse TPS 90A Technical Data Sheet (Version 1.1, SEBS) BASF Forward AM · 2020-12 · tds
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
- Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
- FluorX PVDF — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
- TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- TECAFLON PVDF natural — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
- BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
- 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
- Kynar PVDF — Design properties: solubility and irradiation (active and latent solvents) Arkema · 2026-08 · tds
- KRATON polymers Grade Range — chemical resistance and toluene solution data Kraton Corporation · 2025-07 · tds
- Kynar PVDF resin — chemical and fuel resistance Arkema · 2026-08 · tds