Low refractive index coating for optical fibers, methods of manufacture thereof and articles comprising the same

A method comprising:

• blending together 65 to 95 weight percent of a fluorinated monofunctional monomer;
• 5 to 35 weight percent of a fluorinated multifunctional monomer;
• where the fluorinated monofunctional monomer comprises a monofunctional reactive group that includes an ethylenically unsaturated functionality, an acrylate functionality, a methacrylate functionality, an epoxide functionality or a vinyl ether functionality;
• 0.5 to 3 weight percent of a silane coupling agent to form a composition;
• where all weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition;
• where the fluorinated monofunctional monomer and the fluorinated multifunctional monomer are devoid of any trifunctional fluorocarbon moieties when they have 6 or more fluorocarbon repeat units;
• where the fluorocarbon repeat units are CF2 or CF moieties;
• and where a crosslinked composition has a shore D hardness of 56 to 85 and has a refractive index (RI) that meets the limitation of the equation:
• RI≤1.368+10.8/X, where X denotes wavelength in nanometers and ranges from 400 to 2100 nanometers.

An article comprising:

• an optical fiber;
• a cladding comprising the reaction product of a composition comprising:
• 65 to 95 weight percent of a fluorinated monofunctional monomer;
• 5 to 35 weight percent of a fluorinated multifunctional monomer;
• and
• 0.5 to 3 weight percent of a silane coupling agent;
• where all weight percents are based on the total weight of the composition;
• where the fluorinated monofunctional monomer and the fluorinated multifunctional monomer are devoid of any trifunctional fluorocarbon moieties when they have 6 or more fluorocarbon repeat units;
• where the fluorocarbon repeat units are CF2 or CF moieties;
• and where a crosslinked composition has a shore D hardness of 56 to 85 and has a refractive index (RI) that meets the limitation of the equation:
• RI≤1.368+10.8/X, where X denotes wavelength in nanometers and ranges from 400 to 2100 nanometers;
• where the cladding contacts the optical fiber;
• and
• a buffer layer disposed upon the cladding.