Radiation curable multifilament composite
AssigneeAT&T Bell Laboratories
InventorsNicha Levy, Parbhubhai D. Patel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Multifilament bundles are impregnated with an ultraviolet curable resin to form a composite material suitable for use as a strength member in cables and other applications. The inventive coatings obtain good wetting of the filaments, allowing rapid penetration into the roving or yarn. A much faster coating and curing operation is obtained as compared to prior art methods. Fiberglass strength members made by this technique are especially advantageous for use in optical fiber cables where high strength and a low thermal coefficient of expansion are desired, as well as nonconductivity to protect against lightning strikes.
Claims13
A method of making a composite material comprising passing through a coating means at least one bundle comprising a multiplicity of filaments, thereby impregnating the bundle with a liquid material, and exposing at least a part of the impregnated portion of the bundle to actinic radiation to at least partially cure the liquid coating material, characterized in that the liquid coating material comprises:
- (A) bisphenol-A-diglycidylether diacrylate resin;
- and optionally
- (B) a urethane resin;
- and further comprises at least one diluent selected from the group consisting of:
- (I) a mixture of penta and quadradecylmethyleneglycol diacrylate;
- (J) 1,10 decamethyleneglycol diacrylate;
- (K) polyethyleneglycol (200) dimethacrylate.
A method of making a composite material comprising
- (a) passing through a coating means at least one bundle comprising a multiplicity of filaments, thereby impregnating the bundle with a liquid coating material so as to substantially contact substantially all filaments in the bundle with the coating material, and
- (b) simultaneously exposing an impregnated portion of the bundle to actinic radiation, thereby at least partially curing the coating material, characterized in that
- (c) the liquid coating material comprises:
- (I) bisphenol-A-diglycidylether diacrylate resin;
- and optionally
- (J) a urethane resin;
- and further comprises at least one diluent selected from the group consisting of:
- (K) a mixture of penta and quadradecylmethyleneglycol diacrylate;
- (L) 1,10 decamethyleneglycol diacrylate;
- and
- (M) polyethyleneglycol (200) dimethacrylate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.