3D Printing InfoFilament comparison
PVDF vs TPU 85A
Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
| Property | PVDFENGINEERING | TPU 85AFLEX |
|---|---|---|
| Market snapshot | ||
| Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots | $250.67/kg median; $250.67–$250.67/kg across 1 dated product listings | $89.89/kg median; $31.99–$106.05/kg across 6 dated product listings |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Base polymer / chemistry | Polyvinylidene fluoride — a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer[1][2] | Soft thermoplastic polyurethane at 82–85 Shore A[3][4][5] |
| Densityg/cm³ | 1.71 (ISO 1183) — the densest unfilled filament in the dataset[1] | 1.11 (BASF Ultrafuse 85A) to 1.19 (NinjaFlex 85A), ISO 1183 / ASTM D792[5][3] |
| Typical priceUSD/kg | 1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 251[6] | 1 kg-equivalent spools span 32–106; the middle of the market is about 90[6][7][3] |
| Price range across brandsUSD/kg | 251 at 3DXTech's 750 g pricing — the most expensive material in the whole dataset[6] | 32–106 across brands; Siraya Tech Flex TPU 85A 32 at 1 kg, add:north TPU Pro Matte 85A 72, Recreus Filaflex 82A 90 at 500 g, Proto-pasta Clear Flexible TPU 90, 3DXTech 3DXFLEX 85A 96, NinjaTek NinjaFlex 106[8][6][7][9][3] |
| Market availability1–5 | Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[6][10] | Available from several mainstream brands[6][8] |
| Spool sizes & diameters | 1.75 and 2.85 mm; 750 g spools[6] | 1.75, 2.85 and 3 mm; 0.5, 1 and 2 kg spools[6][8][3] |
| Typical applications | Chemical-plant fittings, semiconductor handling and parts needing outstanding UV and chemical resistance[1] | Soft-touch grips, seals, wearables and anything that must compress and rebound[3][4] |
| Printing Parameters | ||
| Nozzle temperature°C | Not documented | 200–220 (BASF Ultrafuse 85A, 210 typical)[5] |
| Bed temperature°C | 70–110 (3DXTech FluorX)[1] | 40 (BASF Ultrafuse 85A)[5] |
| Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5 | Enclosure required (passive)[1] | Open frame is fine[5] |
| 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[11][12] |
| Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s | Not documented | 1.2–3.2 at the 15–40 mm/s BASF specifies on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[5] |
| Warping tendency1–5 | High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[1] | None[5] |
| Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5 | Not documented | Sticks to anything — Recreus states its 82A grade has excellent bed adhesion without a heated bed or additives[4] |
| Stringing / oozing tendency1–5 | Not documented | High — drying plus tuning needed[13][12] |
| Overall printing difficulty1–5 | Expert / industrial hardware only[1][2] | Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning; at this hardness the filament will not push through a Bowden tube[3][4] |
| Extruder requirement | Not documented | Direct drive only. NinjaTek calls its 85A grade ideal for direct-drive extruders and Recreus specifies direct-drive printers for 82A; BASF caps print speed at 15–40 mm/s with a nozzle of 0.4 mm or larger[3][4][5] |
| Hardware Wear & Reliability | ||
| Nozzle hardness required1–4 | Brass fine indefinitely for unfilled grades[1] | Brass fine indefinitely[14] |
| Abrasiveness1–5 | Non-abrasive when unfilled[1] | Non-abrasive[14] |
| Nozzle clog risk1–5 | Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns, no minimum layer height and states drying is not required[10] | High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles[13][12] |
| Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5 | Not documented | Very high — softens in the cold zone readily; soft filament buckles between the drive gear and the melt zone[12][3] |
| Hotend requirement | Not documented | No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[11] |
| 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] | Moderate — NinjaTek measures 0.22 % in 24 h (ASTM D570) and BASF specifies a 70 °C dry for at least 5 h[3][5] |
| Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH% | Not documented | 0.22 after 24 h water immersion (NinjaFlex 85A, ASTM D570) — an immersion figure, not an equilibrium moisture content at 50 % RH[3] |
| Drying temperature & time | Not documented | 70 °C for at least 5 h in a hot-air dryer or vacuum oven (BASF)[5] |
| Symptoms when wet | Not documented | Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[13] |
| 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[10] | Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; wet TPU prints with poor layer adhesion and weak, brittle layers[13] |
| Storage requirement | Not documented | Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[13] |
| Mechanical Properties | ||
| Tensile strength (XY)MPa | 51 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1] | 26 ultimate (NinjaFlex 85A, ASTM D638)[3] |
| Young's modulusMPa | 2450 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1] | 12 (NinjaFlex 85A, ASTM D638) — two orders of magnitude below any rigid filament; NinjaTek's 95A Cheetah reaches 26 by the same method[3][15] |
| Elongation at break% | 25 at break (printed XY, ISO 527)[1] | 650 at break (Filaflex 82A) and 660 (NinjaFlex 85A); BASF measures 600 in XY and 320 in ZX[4][3][5] |
| 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)[16] | 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)[16] | 29 Shore D / 85 Shore A (BASF Ultrafuse 85A, ISO 7619-1); 85 Shore A (NinjaFlex, ASTM D2240); 82 A nominal for Filaflex[3][5][4] |
| Creep resistance / sustained load1–5 | Not documented | Poor — no 85A creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, and softer grades creep more[17] |
| Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5 | Not documented | Excellent — living hinges viable[12] |
| Elasticity / flexibility1–5 | Slightly flexible in thin sections[1] | Rubbery / highly elastic[3][4] |
| Z strength as % of XY% | Not documented | 53 — BASF measures 320 % elongation at break in ZX against 600 % in XY[5] |
| Wear resistance & friction | Not documented | Abrasion 0.08 g mass loss over 10 000 cycles (NinjaFlex, ASTM D4060); 82 mm³ (BASF, ISO 4649)[3][5] |
| Thermal Properties | ||
| HDT at 0.45 MPa°C | 149 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 66 psi; converted from 300 °F)[16] | Not documented |
| HDT at 1.8 MPa°C | 113 on extruded PVDF stock (ASTM D648 at 264 psi; converted from 235 °F)[16] | Not documented |
| Melting point / Vicat°C | 170 melting (ISO 11357)[1] | 216 melting (NinjaFlex 85A, DSC)[3] |
| Continuous service temperature°C | 149 long term and short term on extruded PVDF stock (converted from 300 °F)[16] | 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[16] | Not documented |
| Flammability / UL 94 | UL 94 V-0 on extruded PVDF stock; Ensinger lists inherent flame resistance[16] | 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][16] | Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[12] |
| 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)[12] |
| Water / humidity resistance in service1–5 | Excellent — essentially unaffected[1] | Not documented |
| Food contact | Not documented | Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[12] |
| Biodegradability / compostability | Not documented | Not biodegradable[12] |
| Recyclability | Not documented | Not accepted in household plastic collection[12] |
| 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[18] |
| 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[18] |
| 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[12] |
| Gluing & solvent welding | Not documented | Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[12] |
| Vapour / chemical smoothing | Not documented | No practical vapour smoothing[12] |
| Support material pairing | Not documented | Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[12] |
| 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.[19] | DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[20] |
| Softened or crazed by | Acetone, MIBK, cyclohexanone, butyl acetate and glycol ethers swell it; alkalis above pH 12 attack the homopolymer.[19][21] | 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 agent | None for the workshop — the active solvents (NMP, DMAc, DMF) are laboratory reagents used for casting membranes, not joints.[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
- FluorX PVDF Technical Data Sheet v3 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
- FluorX PVDF Safety Data Sheet v1.1 3DXTech · 2026-08 · msds
- NinjaFlex 85A Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
- Filaflex 82A product page (Shore hardness and elongation) Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
- Ultrafuse TPU 85A Technical Data Sheet (Version 3.0) BASF Forward AM · 2022-08 · tds
- 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
- Siraya Tech Flex TPU 85A Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
- Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
- add:north TPU Pro Matte 85A product page add:north · 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
- Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
- Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
- NinjaTek technical specs comparison chart (Cheetah, NinjaFlex, Armadillo, Alloy 910, Nylon 645) NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
- 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
- Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
- Kynar PVDF resin — chemical and fuel resistance Arkema · 2026-08 · tds