Method of manufacturing a high impact polarized optical element and polarized optical element including an integrally bonded polarizing film

A polarized optical element comprising:

• an optical part in the form of an ocular made of polyurethane-based optical material;
• and
• a polarizing film comprising a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film that has been surface treated to promote reaction of the polyurethane-based optical material with the polarizing PET film, integrally bonded to the optical part by reaction between isocyanate-reactive functional groups present on the polarizing PET film and free isocyanate groups present on the polyurethane-based optical material,
• wherein the PET film has been surface treated with a coating comprising a material selected from the group consisting of aminosilanes and epoxysilanes, and
• wherein the polyurethane-based optical material comprises the reaction product of a liquid-phase material comprising:
• a) a liquid polyisocyanate or polyisocyanate prepolymer having a content of —NCO functional groups comprised between 5 and 50% by weight and an average functionality of 2 to 3,
• b) an isocyanate-reactive component comprising at least one organic compound containing at least two aromatic amine groups, and
• c) at least one organometallic catalyst.