3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

Breakaway vs TPU 98A

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

Break-away support guideTPU 98A / hard TPU guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore Breakaway comparisonsMore TPU 98A comparisons
Breakaway vs TPU 98A — documented properties and sources
PropertyBreak-away supportSUPPORTTPU 98A / hard TPUFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$42.49/kg median; $26.00–$79.98/kg across 4 dated product listings$94.99/kg median; $34.99–$149.99/kg across 3 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryBreak-away support compounds matched to a specific model material — Polymaker sells separate grades for PLA and for PA12[1][2]Hard thermoplastic polyurethane at 98 Shore A to about 60 Shore D — the rigid end of the TPU range[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.22 (PolySupport for PLA) and 1.29 (PolySupport for PA12), ISO 1183[1][2]1.23 (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A); 1.2 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 2781)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg-equivalent spools span 26–80; the middle of the market is about 45[5][6][7]1 kg spools cluster near 150[8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg26–80 across brands and grades; IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE 26, Polymaker PolySupport for PLA 40 at 750 g, YXPOLYER 45, PolySupport for PA12 80 at 500 g[5][6][7]95–150 across brands; Proto-pasta Clear Rigid TPU 95, Push Plastic TPU 100A 150[9][8]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][10]Available from several mainstream brands[8][9][4]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 0.75 kg spools[5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[9][8]
Typical applicationsSupport that peels off by hand, avoiding the moisture handling and dissolution time that soluble supports demand[1]Drive belts, wheels, snap-fits and bumpers that need to flex but hold shape under load[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C220–230 (PolySupport for PLA)[1]230–260 (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Bed temperature°C25–60 (PolySupport for PLA)[1]50–90 (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[1]Open frame is fine[4]
Part cooling fanNot documented0–30 % (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
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[11][12]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s4–12 at Polymaker's 50–150 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1]4.6 (Extrudr FLEX HARD, stated max volumetric speed on a 0.4 mm nozzle)[4]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[4]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning[1]Easy — minor profile tuning; at this hardness the filament pushes like a rigid material[4]
Extruder requirementA second extruder or a tool changer[1]Bowden viable at this hardness — Extrudr rates FLEX HARD to 100 mm/s where its soft grades cap lower[4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[1]Brass fine indefinitely[4]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive[4]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Polymaker specifies a 55 °C dry for the PLA grade and warns brass nozzle life falls to about 9 h on the PA12 grade[1][2]Low[13]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Not documentedModerate — good heatbreak cooling needed[12]
Hotend requirementNot documentedNo special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[11]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.64 % equilibrium water absorption (PolySupport for PLA)[1]Moderate — the TPU family absorbs readily; Extrudr specifies a 12 h dry at 60 °C for FLEX HARD[4][13]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.64 equilibrium water absorption (Polymaker PolySupport for PLA)[1]Not documented
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60 °C for 12 h (Extrudr FLEX HARD)[4]
Symptoms when wetNot documentedBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[13]
Effect of moisture on strengthNot a structural material; no dry-versus-conditioned data is published[13]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[13]
Storage requirementNot documentedSealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[13]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPaNot documented53.7 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504)[3]
Elongation at break%Not documented318 at break (Fillamentum Flexfill 98A, DIN 53504); Extrudr FLEX HARD 490 (ISO 527-2)[3][4]
Brittleness1–5Not documentedVery ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented98 Shore A and 60 Shore D (Fillamentum, ISO 7619-1); Extrudr FLEX HARD 58 Shore D (ISO 868)[3][4]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Not documentedPoor — no 98A creep test; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[14]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedExcellent — living hinges viable[12]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Not documentedSemi-flexible[3][4]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion 23 mm³ (Fillamentum, ISO 4649 method A) and 26 mm³ (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 4649-A) — the best abrasion figures in the group[3][4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C43 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa, PolySupport for PA12). Polymaker's sheet prints a higher figure at the higher load, which is physically inverted; treat both HDT numbers as approximate[2]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C53 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa, PolySupport for PA12) — printed above the 0.45 MPa figure on Polymaker's own sheet, which cannot be right; treat both as approximate[2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CVicat 171 (PolySupport for PA12, ISO 306)[2]190–210 melting (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 3146-C); Vicat A 140 (ISO 306)[4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedGood — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[12]
Chemical resistanceNot documentedWithstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[12]
Food contactNot documentedNot food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[12]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot documentedNot biodegradable[12]
RecyclabilityNot documentedNot accepted in household plastic collection[12]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10^13 ohm/sq (ASTM D257, THERMAX HTS2 and MTS1)[15][16]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; none of these materials was in the chamber study[17]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[17]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[17]Open a window / occasional ventilation[17]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningNot documentedDifficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[12]
Gluing & solvent weldingNot documentedCyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[12]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNot documentedNo practical vapour smoothing[12]
Support material pairingThis is the support material. Polymaker publishes an adhesion matrix per model material, from very good to unusable, because break-away supports only work against the polymer they were matched to[1][2]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[12]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedTear strength 170 kN/m (Fillamentum, ISO 34-1) and 175 kN/m (Extrudr FLEX HARD, ISO 34-1B)[3][4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNone — break-away support is removed mechanically; 3DXTech lists no water or solvent route for it.[18]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[19]
Softened or crazed byNot documentedToluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[19]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentNone — there is no solvent to weld or smooth with.[18]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[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. PolySupport Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. PolySupport for PA12 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  3. Flexfill TPU 98A Technical Data Sheet Fillamentum · 2019-08 · tds
  4. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. YXPOLYER Breakaway Support Filament 1 kg Black — product page YXPOLYER · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. IEMAI 3D E-REMOVE breakaway support filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  12. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  13. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  14. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  15. THERMAX HTS2 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  16. THERMAX MTS1 Break Away Support Technical Data Sheet v1.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  17. 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
  18. THERMAX HTS1 — product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds