FDM Part V Polyolefins

FDM Polymers — A Technical Reference ›

Part V — Polyolefins

Polypropylene — the second-most-produced commodity plastic in the world and the hardest widely available commodity filament to print on consumer FDM hardware — and the smaller polyethylene niche. The defining challenges are low-surface-energy bed adhesion and high crystallization shrinkage; the fixes are dedicated PP-coated build sheets and fiber reinforcement.

Chapters: 11 Polypropylene deep dive · 12 Polyethylene and other polyolefins

11. Polypropylene (PP) — deep dive

Polypropylene is a polyolefin commodity polymer with global production around 80 million tonnes annually (2024) — second only to polyethylene. The bulk is consumed in injection molding and extrusion: packaging, automotive interior trim, textiles, consumer products. The property set that drives its industrial dominance — low density (0.90–0.91 g/cm³, lower than every other major thermoplastic), high chemical resistance, high fatigue resistance, low water absorption, food-contact compliance, and easy recyclability — also makes it attractive for 3D printing. The same property set, however, makes PP actively hostile to layer-by-layer extrusion.

Three constraints dominate PP process design regardless of brand. First, neither PEI nor glass nor powder-coated build plates adhere to PP without an intermediate layer; this layer is either a dedicated PP-on-PP plate, polypropylene packing tape, or a PP-specific adhesive. Second, fiber-filled grades require a hardened or wear-resistant nozzle without exception. Third, part cooling must be minimized for layer adhesion; PP does not tolerate the aggressive cooling profiles routine for PLA and PETG. The materials science literature has spent the better part of a decade chipping away at these issues, primarily by adding glass or carbon fiber and by developing PP-specific bed adhesion chemistry.

11.1 Homopolymer vs copolymer

Commercial PP falls into two broad categories. Homopolymer PP is pure propylene chains; stiffer, higher tensile strength, more crystalline, brittle at low temperatures, warps aggressively. Copolymer PP — either random copolymer with a few percent ethylene distributed along the chain, or impact copolymer (block or heterophasic) with a discrete ethylene-propylene rubber phase — trades some stiffness and crystallinity for greatly improved impact performance (especially below 0 °C) and somewhat better printability.

Most successful 3D printing PP grades are copolymers: 3DXTech CarbonX PP+CF, Braskem FL900PP-CF, and the engineering-grade Fiberlogy and Recreus products are largely built on PP copolymer matrices. Pure homopolymer PP is rare in the consumer FFF market because the elevated warp tendency makes large parts effectively unprintable on most hardware.

11.2 Filament variants

Variant	Typical loading	Position
Unfilled PP	0%	Highest elongation (>100%); living hinges, watertight containers; hardest to print
PP-GF	15–30% glass fiber	Most common engineering grade; warp largely tamed; cost-effective
PP-CF	15–30% chopped CF (often recycled)	Highest stiffness and lowest dimensional change; matte black; abrasive; Braskem FL900PP-CF uses 100% recycled CF feedstock
PP-Talc / mineral	20–40% talc/CaCO3	Common in injection-molded grades, rarely compounded into filament; reduces shrinkage less effectively than fiber and adds little stiffness per loading
Recycled PP / R PP	100% PCR/PIR	Fiberlogy R PP; property envelope matches virgin

_{Table 11.1 — PP filament variants. Fiber reinforcement is the principal lever for printability; CF and GF each have application-driven trade-offs.}

11.3 Property envelope

Property	Unfilled PP	PP-GF (15–30%)	PP-CF (15–30%)
Density (g/cm3)	0.90–0.91	1.05–1.15	0.91–1.00
Tensile strength, XY (MPa)	10–25	30–50	25–45
Tensile modulus, XY (GPa)	0.25–1.4	2.0–3.0	2.0–6.5
Elongation @ break (%)	100–800+	3–10	3–6
Flexural modulus (GPa)	0.8–1.2	2.0–3.0	1.8–3.5
Charpy notched (kJ/m2)	5–15	7–12	10–15
HDT @ 0.45 MPa (°C)	51–100	115–140	115–160
HDT @ 1.80 MPa (°C)	55–75	90–115	95–120
Shore D	42–72	67–72	60–65
Moisture absorption (%)	<0.05	0.05–0.15	<0.05
Interlayer adhesion (MPa)	10–15	15–20	10–15
Volumetric shrinkage tendency	high (warps)	low	very low
Living-hinge capable	yes	no	no
Hardened nozzle required	no	yes	yes

_{Table 11.2 — PP property envelope by variant. HDT figures should be read cautiously: the 158 °C value quoted for some PP-CF grades at 0.45 MPa is consistent with the test method but does not mean the part is functional under sustained load at that temperature. Unfilled PP is creep-limited near 60–70 °C; fiber-filled PP can retain short-term stiffness at higher HDT test temperatures, but continuous service still depends on load, time, fiber orientation, and the specific compound. The modulus upper bound reflects Braskem FL900PP-CF (~6.4 GPa printed); most 15–30% PP-CF grades sit at 2–4 GPa. The unfilled-PP lower bounds reflect the soft copolymer grades in the surveyed brand set (UltiMaker PP: 0.25 GPa modulus, Shore D 42, >800% elongation; Fiberlogy PP: 51 °C HDT); stiffer grades such as Fillamentum PP 2320 define the upper ends.}

Chemical resistance is where PP genuinely excels. Across vendor data and the published literature, PP demonstrates resistance to dilute and concentrated acids (acetic, boric, hydrochloric, phosphoric, sulfuric), hydroxide bases (ammonium, sodium, potassium, barium, magnesium, calcium), most alcohols, polar organic solvents (acetone, ethanol, methyl ethyl ketone), salt solutions, and water up to 80 °C. PP is degraded by strong oxidizers (concentrated nitric acid, chromic acid, hot sulfuric acid above 60%), and aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons swell PP, increasingly at elevated temperature.

11.4 The printability problem

Why PP warps. PP is semi-crystalline with a melting transition near 160 °C and crystallization onset between 110 and 130 °C on cooling. Linear shrinkage from melt to room temperature is on the order of 1.5–2.5%, compared with about 0.4% for amorphous polymers like PETG. Layer-by-layer accumulation in an FFF print concentrates this in-plane shrinkage at part edges. The problem compounds with part dimension: a 20 mm cube prints fine; the same geometry scaled to 200 mm exhibits enough cumulative shrinkage force at the corners to overcome any standard bed adhesion. Glass and carbon fiber reduce in-plane shrinkage by one-half to two-thirds, which is the structural reason fiber-filled PP prints without an enclosure while unfilled PP often cannot.

Why PP doesn't stick to PEI. Bed adhesion is interfacial wetting plus intermolecular attraction. PEI has surface energy ~40 mN/m and depends on polar interactions to grip amorphous polymers; PP is a non-polar polyolefin with surface energy ~30 mN/m and cannot present polar groups for those interactions. The interface develops essentially no adhesive bond. Practical adhesion solutions mostly use PP-on-PP self-adhesion: a polypropylene surface on the bed, bed temperature soft enough to fuse the surface PP into the print's first layer, then cooling for release; the exception is PP-specific adhesives (§11.7).

How reinforcement fixes the shrinkage problem. Fibers don't crystallize, so they reduce volumetric shrinkage proportional to loading. Fibers align with extrusion direction during printing and physically constrain matrix shrinkage anisotropically — less in the print direction, more perpendicular. A 30% glass-loaded PP exhibits perhaps one-third the linear shrinkage of unfilled PP in the print direction. Sufficient for enclosure-free printing of moderate-size parts. Does not change surface energy: bed adhesion strategy is identical to unfilled PP.

11.5 Brand landscape

Prusament PP Carbon Fiber

Manufactured by Prusa Polymers, Czech Republic; carbon fiber recycled from manufacturing waste and end-of-life CF composites. Density 0.91 g/cm³, 0.03% 24-hour moisture absorption, HDT 158 °C / 115 °C (at 0.45 and 1.80 MPa). Tensile yield 27.3 ± 0.7 MPa horizontal (XY), 30.7 ± 0.3 MPa "vertical" (XZ specimen orientation, not Z interlayer loading — true Z interlayer adhesion is 13 ± 1 MPa per the same TDS); modulus 2.1 / 2.5 GPa; Charpy unnotched 19 kJ/m². 650 g spools. Print at 270 ± 10 °C nozzle, 85 ± 10 °C bed, <=40 mm/s, fan off, extrusion multiplier 1.09. Prusa PP sheet recommended; PEI smooth + PP packing tape is the documented alternative. No enclosure required.

Prusament PP Glass Fiber

Glass-fiber sibling of PP-CF. Density 1.12 g/cm³, MFR 14.7 g/10 min, HDT 138.3 / 112.6 °C, tensile yield 40.3 / 48.8 MPa horizontal/vertical, modulus 2.1 / 2.5 GPa, Charpy unnotched 17.6 / 26.9 kJ/m². 850 g spools, natural color only. Print at 245 ± 10 °C, 95 ± 10 °C bed, <=50 mm/s, extrusion multiplier 1.03, infill/perimeter overlap 15% (notably lower than the 40% used for PP-CF). PP sheet, hardened nozzle. PP-GF is the stronger, lower-cost-per-kg choice within the Prusament PP family; PP-CF holds the higher HDT.

Braskem FL900PP family

Braskem is the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas and the primary supplier of base PP resin to multiple filament compounders. The FL900PP-CF flagship is 100% recycled carbon fiber. Tensile modulus approximately 6× unfilled PP (~6.4 GPa printed); printed tensile strength ~41 MPa (roughly 2× unfilled). 700 g spools. Product line also includes FL100PP (unfilled prototyping), FL105PP (high fatigue), FL500PP-GF (glass fiber); pellet products GR100PP and GR105PP for FGF. Braskem's published case study on a drone arm documents 37% mass reduction vs the factory part with 63% stress reduction at impact and ~4% improved flight time — one of the few publicly available performance benchmarks for any PP-CF product.

3DXTech CarbonX PP+CF

Manufactured in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Specialty PP copolymer matrix reinforced with high-modulus chopped CF. 3DXTech holds a patent-pending formulation claim around improved thermal properties and low shrinkage vs competitor PP-CF. 750 g spools (volume of a 1 kg ABS/ASA spool due to density). Recommended layer height 60% of nozzle diameter, hard floor 0.25 mm; below this, fiber-loaded melt back-pressure causes jams and filament-drive grinding.

Fillamentum PP 2320

Industrial-grade unfilled PP. Density 0.96 g/cm³ (above typical unfilled PP, suggesting mineral content), MFR 7.4 g/10 min. Tensile strength 23 MPa, elongation 20%, modulus 1400 MPa, Charpy unnotched 184 kJ/m² (consistent with impact-modified copolymer). Print at 225–245 °C, 90–105 °C bed, 20–40 mm/s, brim required, Magigoo PP recommended. 600 g spools, natural/black/white. Documentation is explicit: “printing with polypropylene is extremely demanding and requires precise preparation.” Food-contact declarations on request. Service range -40 to 100 °C; marketed for orthopedic braces among other applications.

Fiberlogy PP and R PP

Virgin Fiberlogy PP and 100% recycled R PP using PCR/PIR feedstock. Density 1.05 g/cm³ (filler content beyond base copolymer), tensile 14 MPa, modulus 700 MPa, elongation >100%. Diameter tolerance ±0.02 mm. Print 220–250 °C nozzle, bed not strictly required when using packing tape (most users 80–100 °C). 0.75 kg and 2.5 kg spools.

FormFutura Centaur PP

Natural variant is food-contact compliant, dishwasher safe, microwaveable. Density 0.9 g/cm³, elongation >600% (one of the highest published for any PP filament). Watertight single-wall printing explicitly supported. 500 g spools, 1.75 and 2.85 mm. Recommended 245–270 °C nozzle. The unusual elongation makes Centaur a strong choice for living hinges and vase-mode containers where wall flexibility is a design feature.

PPprint P-filament 721

Germany; polypropylene specialist. P-filament 721 extrudes at only 200–220 °C — the lowest temperature window of any commercial PP filament. The intended workflow uses PPprint substrates: P-surface 141 (PP adhesion film), P-adhesive 220 (attachment), P-roller 621 (install). Prints release by heating the bed to 110 °C. Bed runs cold (20 °C steady-state, 50–70 °C first layer) during printing, deferring heat to part removal — this avoids the long-soak warp problem Braskem documents at higher bed temperatures. P-filament 721 is biocompatible per DIN EN ISO 10993-5; the printability-optimized formulation is not FDA food-contact compliant. PPprint also produces P-support 279, a dedicated PP-compatible breakaway support — important since most general-purpose supports don't adhere to PP at all.

UltiMaker PP, Recreus PP3D / PP-GF, generic / Sunlu / Yousu

UltiMaker PP: 500 g spools, 2.85 mm only, natural color, designed primarily for the UltiMaker printer ecosystem. Print 205–220 °C / 85–100 °C. NFC verification and pre-built slicer profiles are the ecosystem value; price-per-kg unfavorable outside that ecosystem. Recreus PP3D and PP-GF (Spain): PP-GF developed with Repsol; standard PP-GF envelope. 0.4–0.6 mm nozzles, hardened steel minimum, 0.2 mm layer height optimal. Recreus PP3D ships with a dedicated PP adhesive for glass-bed use as low as 40 °C. Generic / Sunlu / Yousu / Eryone / Iemai: Chinese unfilled PP at roughly half the named-brand price points. Sunlu PP community-reported calibration: nozzle 220 °C, bed 60 °C, EM 1.04, PP sheet mandatory, fan off, brim, avoid_crossing_perimeters disabled. Adequate for prototyping; not for documented mechanical performance or batch consistency.

11.6 Print parameters (consolidated)

Parameter	Unfilled PP	PP-GF	PP-CF
Nozzle (°C)	200–270	230–260	240–280 (Braskem 240–260; Prusament 260–280)
Bed (°C)	20–105*	85–105	75–95
Print speed (mm/s)	20–50	30–60	30–50
First-layer speed (mm/s)	10–20	15–25	15–25
Part cooling fan (%)	0–50	0	brand-split: Prusament 0 (bridges 100); Braskem 50–100
Layer height (mm)	0.15–0.30	0.20–0.32	0.25–0.32
Wall count	3–5	3–4	3–4
Extrusion multiplier	1.00–1.05	1.00–1.05	1.05–1.10
Retraction (DD, mm)	1–2	1–2	0.8–1.5
Retraction (Bowden, mm)	4–6	3–5	3–5
Brim	required	recommended	recommended
Enclosure	beneficial	optional	not required
Chamber temp (°C)	25–50	25–50	ambient
Nozzle hardness	brass OK	hardened	hardened
Drying	no	per TDS	per TDS

_{Table 11.3 — PP starting print parameters. *Unfilled-PP bed temperature is dictated by the adhesion strategy: PP packing tape works at 80–100 °C; the cold-bed approach uses a 20 °C steady-state bed; the Recreus workflow uses 40 °C on glass with PP glue. Drying guidance is formulation-specific for PP-GF and PP-CF: some brands specify 60–80 °C for 4–6 h, while others explicitly do not require drying.}

Fan strategy is brand-split rather than universal: Prusament PP-CF specifies fan off — PP's narrow window between crystallization onset and the temperature at which subsequent layers fuse means aggressive cooling produces visible layer separation — while Braskem FL900PP-CF specifies 50–100% fan; follow the spool TDS. Walls 3–5 perimeters to compensate for modest interlayer strength (Prusament PP-CF TDS: interlayer adhesion 13 ± 1 MPa vs bulk filament tensile of 21 MPa). Top-surface dishing on sparse infill is a known failure mode — switch from gyroid to cubic at 20–25% density and increase top layers to 6–8.

11.7 Bed adhesion strategies (PP-specific)

Bed adhesion is the single most important variable in successful PP printing. Every successful approach presents a polypropylene-compatible surface for the print to grip — PEI, glass, and powder-coated steel will not hold PP by themselves.

PP-coated print sheets. Powder-coated PP build sheets are the cleanest and most reproducible approach. The Prusament-branded PP sheet (designed for the standard spring-steel magnetic bed format) and PPprint's P-surface 141 are the most widely-distributed options. Degrease with IPA, place on the magnetic bed, print. Bed 85–95 °C. Removal on cool-down; no residue. The sheet is a consumable that tolerates many prints before replacement. PPprint's system specifies cold-bed operation: PP film with self-adhesive backing or P-adhesive 220, installed with P-roller 621, bed at 20 °C steady-state and heated to 110 °C at end of print for release. Third-party PP stickers in standard build-plate sizes are widely available from online vendors.

PP packing tape. The original community solution and still the most cost-effective. Standard PP-based packing tape (Tesa, 3M, Scotch) applied to clean glass or PEI presents a PP surface; the acrylic adhesive holds it to the bed. Bed 80–100 °C, removal easy on cool-down. Drawbacks: application time on a 250 mm bed, and tape adhesive transfers to the bed (acetone removes it; acetone gradually attacks PEI if repeated). For users who switch between PP and other materials, packing tape on a dedicated glass bed is cleaner than tape on PEI.

Magigoo PP and Magigoo PP-GF. Liquid adhesive specifically formulated for PP, applied to clean glass, PEI, BuildTak, powder-coated, or Kapton. Spread evenly with the bottle's spring-loaded nib, cover the print area, brief dry. Bed 85–100 °C. Cleanup with water (water-soluble). Magigoo PP-GF is the stronger formulation for glass-filled PP and warp-prone unfilled-PP geometries with sharp corners or long flat sections. Community consensus across major FDM forums: the Magigoo PP family is the most reliable adhesive option for difficult PP prints, especially combined with a PP sheet for redundancy.

What does not work. Direct printing of PP on bare PEI, glass, mirror, BuildTak, FR-4/G10, or powder-coated steel does not adhere. Generic PVA glue stick is too thin and too polar. Hairspray and acrylic-based adhesives are similarly inadequate. IPA cleaning, essential for other materials, does not help PP adhesion — the controlling factor is surface chemistry, not contamination. PP-sheet manufacturers generally recommend soap and warm water over IPA for cleaning the PP sheet itself, because soap residue does not interfere with PP-on-PP adhesion.

11.8 Post-processing and chemical compatibility

PP cannot be vapor-smoothed: acetone, MEK, ethyl acetate, IPA, ethanol, and methanol leave PP unaffected at room temperature, while aromatic (toluene) and chlorinated (DCM) solvents merely swell it without dissolving it (§11.3). The chemical resistance that drives PP's applications forecloses most post-processing. Practical options are mechanical: wet sanding (220, 400, 600, 1000 grit) for matte finish; razor and rotary tools for support removal. Wet over dry to minimize airborne particles (respirable glass and CF fragments are documented hazards). PP itself does not deform under hand-sanding friction heat, but it melts near 160 °C and conducts heat poorly, so sustained power-tool contact can still overheat the interface; keep power-tool speeds low, use light pressure, and prefer wet sanding for dust control.

Painting and gluing are the principal limitations. Standard adhesives (CA, epoxy, polyurethane) bond poorly because they cannot wet the low-energy surface. Solutions: flame treatment (propane torch passes oxidize the surface and raise energy from 30 to 50–55 mN/m); corona treatment for production volumes; PP-specific primers (3M 4298UV, Loctite 770) followed by cyanoacrylate. 2K epoxy and XTC-3D coatings adhere modestly better than untreated direct adhesives but still benefit from surface activation. Mechanical interlocking (snap fits, dovetails, threaded inserts) is usually more reliable than chemical bonding for PP assemblies.

11.9 Multi-material and dual-hotend considerations

Multi-material printers that share a single nozzle (single-extruder MMU systems) or that operate two hotends in a single enclosure (dual-hotend, IDEX) face the same constraint: the chamber temperature and bed temperature must be compatible with every filament loaded in the print. Several printer manufacturers publish explicit compatibility categories at slice time; the underlying physics is the same regardless of which printer enforces it. PP, PP-CF, and PP-GF are medium-temperature materials in these schemes, alongside HIPS, PE, PE-CF, EVA, and PHA. High-temperature filaments (ABS, ASA, PC, PA, PA-CF, PA-GF, PA6-CF, PET-CF, PPS, PPS-CF, PPA-CF, PPA-GF, ABS-GF) are generally poor PP partners unless the specific materials and chamber profile are validated, because the chamber and bed temperatures required for the engineering material can degrade or warp the PP. Low-temperature filaments (PLA, PETG, PETG-CF, TPU, PVA, BVOH, PCTG) can be mixed with PP with careful chamber temperature management to avoid softening the low-temp material. (These vendor tier names do not map one-to-one onto the volume's own chamber-temperature groupings in Table 25.1 — PETG and PCTG are "low-temperature" in the vendor schemes reported here but sit in the "Mid" chamber band there; each taxonomy is internally consistent, and §25.2 is this volume's reference.) (Note that the classic HIPS-supports-ABS workflow of Chapter 10 is, under these slicer-enforced schemes, a cautioned high/medium pairing: it works because HIPS tolerates ABS's chamber and bed temperatures, not because the two share a temperature class.)

Support interfaces. PP's poor adhesion to other materials makes it an excellent breakaway support interface in some pairings; in the reverse direction, PCTG and HIPS can serve as breakaway interfaces for PP. PPprint's P-support 279 is a dedicated PP-compatible breakaway support that pairs with P-filament 721. Multi-material buffer systems: long multi-curve filament paths in filament buffers (AMS-style enclosures, MMU buffers, side-mounted spool holders with PTFE routing) increase retraction-induced stringing and filament drag, both of which PP tolerates poorly. Fiber-filled PP can wear internal buffer components on systems not designed for abrasive materials; check that the buffer system documentation lists fiber-filled material support before running PP-CF or PP-GF through it.

11.10 Application selection guide

Application	Recommended grade	Rationale
Living hinges, snap-fit lids	Unfilled PP copolymer	Only unfilled PP retains >100% elongation for repeated flex
Chemical containers, lab equipment	PP-GF or PP-CF	Chemical resistance from base; fiber for dimensional stability
Drone airframes, RC aircraft	PP-CF	Lowest-density fiber-reinforced structural filament; impact-resistant
Watertight bottles, single-wall	Unfilled PP (Centaur, UltiMaker, Fillamentum)	Translucency; food contact possible with Centaur (natural) and Fillamentum, not UltiMaker; single-wall vase mode reliably watertight
Automotive trim, under-hood (non-engine)	PP-GF or PP-CF	Thermal stability adequate; chemical resistance to oils, fuels, cleaners
Orthotics, prosthetics	PPprint 721, Fillamentum 2320	Biocompatible (PPprint), food-contact (Fillamentum); flexibility for wearable
Tooling, fixtures, jigs	PP-CF or PP-GF	Cost-effective alternative to PA-CF or PC; lighter than ABS/PETG fixtures
Electrical insulation	Unfilled PP	High dielectric strength; low water absorption; low cost
High-temperature structural (>90 °C)	Not recommended	PP HDT misleading; creep above 70 °C; switch polymer family

_{Table 11.4 — PP application selection. The right PP variant depends primarily on whether flexibility (forces unfilled) or dimensional stability (forces fiber-filled) is the binding constraint.}

12. Polyethylene (PE) and other polyolefins

Polyethylene as an FDM filament is a much smaller market than polypropylene. The fundamental issues are similar — low surface energy, high crystallization shrinkage — and the solutions are similar (PE-on-PE build surfaces, fiber reinforcement) but the commercial filament options are sparse. HDPE in particular has been historically difficult in FFF due to warping and voiding; published work demonstrates parameter strategies to improve mechanical performance and surface quality, but the practical reality is that PE is rarely the right answer when PP is also available.

12.1 HDPE (high-density polyethylene)

Spectrum Filaments offers HDPE specifically as a filament; Braskem FL300PE is another documented option. The two are not interchangeable: Braskem FL300PE is a conventional HDPE — density ~0.95 g/cm³, T_m ~130 °C, Vicat ~125 °C — printed at 210–230 °C, while Spectrum HDPE is a filled "Low Warp" formulation with density 1.1 g/cm³ and a 260–290 °C nozzle window (Spectrum's guidance: 80–100 °C bed, enclosure recommended for larger prints, no drying requirement). Bed adhesion follows PP-class strategies: PE-coated sheet, packing tape, or specialty adhesive. Chemical resistance is excellent (similar envelope to PP); UV resistance is poor without carbon-black loading; food contact compliance depends on the specific grade.

12.2 PE filament applications

Watertight containers, chemical bottles, fuel-resistant components (PE swells less than PP in aliphatic hydrocarbons), pipe fittings as functional prototypes. PE is the obvious choice where PP-grade chemistry is wanted but the application benefits from PE's specific resistance profile — typically food and water containers in cold-chain applications, parts needing low-temperature toughness, or lower swelling in aliphatic hydrocarbons. (Environmental stress cracking is not among PE's advantages: ESC is the classic PE failure mode — surfactants and detergents crack stressed PE, which is why ESCR testing exists — and PP is the less ESC-prone of the two.) For most applications where the user is considering PE, PP is the practical default; PE is a small-niche material.

12.3 Other polyolefins: EVA, COC, COP

EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) appears in some flexible-foam filament niches; it bridges into TPU territory; Chapter 16 mentions it only in passing, and no mainstream FDM EVA filament exists. Cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) and cyclic olefin polymer (COP) are clear, low-moisture-absorption polymers used in medical and optical applications; available as filament from a few specialty vendors but essentially absent from the consumer market. Both are amorphous, print at 240–280 °C, and require PEI or polyolefin-compatible bed strategies depending on the specific grade.

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