Composition having improved optical qualities
AssigneeEnsign-Bickford Industries, Inc.
InventorBolesh J. Skutnik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Compositions with improved optical qualities, based on highly fluorinated monofunctional acrylates, are cured for use in a wide range of optical articles. The preferred components of the composition are (1) a highly fluorinated monofunctional acrylate; (2) a trifunctional or higher acrylate that serves as a crosslinking agent; (3) a mono or poly-functional thiol that functions as a synergist; and (4) a photoinitiator such as an ultraviolet (UV) initiator. These components can be varied relative to one another over a wide range, but the fluoroacrylate must always be the major component. Where the fluoroacrylate is a solid at room temperature, a small amount of solvent like di-isobutyl ketone or methylene chloride can be added.
Claims20
A cladding composition for plastic clad silica optical fibers comprising
- a highly fluorinated monofunctional acrylate with a refractive index below 1.38 and constituting more than 50% by weight of the composition,
- a polyfunctional acrylate being trifunctional or higher serving as a crosslinking agent,
- a mono or polyfunctional thiol that functions as a synergist, and
- a photoinitiator.
A plastic clad silica optical fiber comprising
- a fused silica core, and
- an ultraviolet cured cladding composition which includes a mixture of a highly fluorinated monofunctional acrylate with a refractive index below 1.38 and constituting more than 50% by weight of the composition, a trifunctional or higher acrylate serving as a crosslinking agent, mono or polyfunctional thiol that functions as a synergist, and an ultraviolet initiator.
A composition having improved optical qualities, said composition comprising
- (a) a highly fluorinated monofunctional acrylate constituting more than 50% by weight of the composition;
- (b) a polyfunctional acrylate being trifunctional or higher serving as a crosslinking agent;
- (c) a mono or polyfunctional thiol that functions as a synergist;
- and
- (d) an photoinitiator.
An optical fiber comprising:
- (a) a core, and
- (b) an ultraviolet cured composition which includes a mixture of a highly fluorinated monofunctional acrylate and constituting more than 50% by weight of the composition, a trifunctional or higher acrylate serving as a crosslinking agent, a mono or polyfunctional thiol that functions as a synergist, and a photoinitiator.
An optical article comprising
- (a) a substrate;
- and
- (b) at least one layer of a cured composition having a variable refractive index and being layered in decreasing refractive index order from said substrate, said compositions includes a mixture of a highly fluorinated mono functional acrylate constituting more than 50% by weight of the composition, a trifunctional or higher acrylate serving as a crosslinking agent, a mono or polyfunctional thiol that functions as a synergist and an ultraviolet photo-initiator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.