Intermittently bonded ribbon with continuous lengthwise coating

An optical fiber ribbon, comprising:

• a plurality of optical fibers arranged adjacently to each other, wherein each optical fiber comprises a circumferential outer surface;
• a continuous lengthwise coating disposed on at least a portion of the circumferential outer surface of each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers, wherein the continuous lengthwise coating comprises a colorant for identifying the optical fiber ribbon among a plurality of optical fiber ribbons and wherein the continuous lengthwise coating comprises a first thickness as measured radially from the circumferential outer surface;
• a plurality of bonds intermittently formed between adjacent optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers, wherein each of the plurality of bonds comprises a second thickness when measured normal to a longitudinal axis between the adjacent optical fibers, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness;
• wherein the plurality of bonds provide the only connection between the adjacent optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers;
• wherein the continuous lengthwise coatings and the plurality of bonds are formed of different materials;
• and
• wherein one of the continuous lengthwise coatings or the plurality of bonds comprises one or more urethane acrylate oligomers, one or more acrylate monomers, one or more photoinitiators, and an antioxidant and comprises at least one of a Young's modulus from 100 MPa to 1500 MPa or an elongation at break from 20% to 200%.

A method of preparing an optical fiber ribbon, comprising:

• arranging a plurality of optical fibers adjacent to each other along a length of the optical fiber ribbon, wherein each of the plurality of optical fibers comprises a respective colorant layer that forms an outer surface of the optical fiber;
• applying a lengthwise continuous coating comprising colorant to at least a portion of each outer surface of the plurality of optical fibers;
• intermittently applying a plurality of bonds between adjacent optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers;
• separating the lengthwise continuous coatings of adjacent optical fibers such that the plurality of bonds provides the only connection between the adjacent optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers.