D1381 SUPERCOATINGS FOR OPTICAL FIBER

• US 20080226909A1
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DSM IP Assets BV (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Original Assignee: DSM IP Assets BV (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Inventors: Steeman, Paulus Antonius Maria, Murphy, Edward J., Zimmerman, John M., Schmid, Steven R., Tortorello, Anthony Joseph, Cattron, Wendell Wayne, Norlin, Tyson Dean, Wu, Xiaosong, Niels, Petrus Jacobus Hubertus
• Granted Patent: US 8,426,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/375
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 25/1065 Multiple coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/48 Polyethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/672 Esters of acrylic or alkyl acrylic acid having only one group containing active hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/724 Combination of aromatic polyisocyanates with (cyclo)aliphatic polyisocyanates
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 175/16 having terminal carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 5/002 Priming paints C09D5/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/10 Optical coatings produced by application to, or surface treatment of, optical elements G02B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/14 Protective coatings, e.g. hard coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02395 Glass optical fibre with a protective coating, e.g. two layer polymer coating deposited directly on a silica cladding surface during fibre manufacture G02B6/02052, G02B6/02057, G02B6/024, G02B6/032, G02B6/105, G02B6/14 take precedence; coating on fibre gratings G02B6/02104; multilayer core or cladding G02B6/036; reinforcing splice joints G02B6/2558; optical cables, i.e. comprising protective structures external to the protective coating such as a jacket or plural coated optical fibres G02B6/44; coating of glass to obtain optical fibres C03C25/104
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2933 Coated or with bond, impregnation or core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2942 Plural coatings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2947 Synthetic resin or polymer in plural coatings, each of different type

Abstract

The invention provides an optical fiber coated with a Supercoating, wherein the Supercoating comprises at least two layers, wherein the first layer is a Primary Coating that is in contact with the outer surface of the optical fiber and the second layer is a Secondary Coating in contact with the outer surface of the Primary Coating, wherein the cured Primary Coating on the optical fiber has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85° C. and 85% relative humidity: A) a % RAU of from about 84% to about 99%;

B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.15 MPa and about 0.60 MPa; and
C) a Tube Tg, of from about −25° C. to about −55° C.; wherein the cured Secondary Coating on the optical fiber has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85° C. and 85% relative humidity: A) a % RAU of from about 80% to about 98%;
B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.60 GPa and about 1.90 GPa; and
C) a Tube Tg, of from about 50° C. to about 80° C.

Claims

1. A Supercoating suitable for coating an optical fiber;

wherein the Supercoating comprises at least two layers, wherein the first layer is a Primary Coating that is in contact with the outer surface of the optical fiber and the second layer is a Secondary Coating in contact with the outer surface of the Primary Coating,

wherein the cured Primary Coating on the optical fiber has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85°

C. and 85% relative humidity;

A) a % RAU of from about 84% to about 99%;

B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.15 MPa and about 0.60 MPa; and

C) a Tube Tg, of from about −

25°

C. to about −

55°

C.;

wherein the cured Secondary Coating on the optical fiber has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85°

C. and 85% relative humidity;

A) a % RAU of from about 80% to about 98%;

B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.60 GPa and about 1.90 GPa; and

C) a Tube Tg, of from about 50°

C. to about 80°

C.

2. An optical fiber coated with the Supercoating of claim 1.

3. The optical fiber of claim 2 wherein said optical fiber is a single mode optical fiber.

4. The optical fiber of claim 2 wherein said optical fiber is a multi-mode optical fiber.

7. A process to coat an optical fiber with a Supercoating, comprising the steps of

(i) operating a glass drawing tower to produce a glass optical fiber;

(ii) coating said glass optical fiber with the Supercoating of claim 1;

(iii) applying radiation to said Supercoating to cure said Supercoating,

wherein said radiation may be applied sequentially, first to the Primary Coating and then to the Secondary Coating, known as wet on dry application;

or the radiation may be applied concurrently to the Primary Coating and the Secondary Coating, known as wet on wet application.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the glass drawing tower is operated at a line speed of between about 750 m/min and about 2,100 m/min.

9. The Supercoating of claim 1 in which said Primary Coating comprises a catalyst wherein said catalyst is selected from the group consisting of dibutyl tin dilaurate;

metal carboxylates, including, but not limited to;

organobismuth catalysts such as bismuth neodecanoate, CAS 34364-26-6;

zinc neodecanoate, CAS 27253-29-8;

zirconium neodecanoate, CAS 39049-04-2; and

zinc 2-ethylhexanoate, CAS 136-53-8;

sulfonic acids, including but not limited to dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid, CAS 27176-87-0; and

methane sulfonic acid, CAS 75-75-2;

amino or organo-base catalysts, including, but not limited to;

1,2-dimethylimidazole, CAS 1739-84-0; and

diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, CAS 280-57-9 (strong base); and

triphenyl phosphine;

alkoxides of zirconium and titanium, including, but not limited to zirconium butoxide, (tetrabutyl zirconate) CAS 1071-76-7; and

titanium butoxide, (tetrabutyl titanate) CAS 5593-70-4; and

ionic liquid phosphonium, imidazolium, and pyridinium salts, such as, but not limited to, trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate, CAS No. 374683-44-0;

1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, CAS No. 284049-75-8; and

N-butyl-4-methylpyridinium chloride, CAS No. 125652-55-3; and

tetradecyl(trihexyl) phosphonium.

10. The Supercoating of claim 1 in which said Secondary Coating comprises at least one urethane oligomer;

wherein said urethane oligomer is synthesized using a catalyst and wherein said catalyst is selected from the group consisting of copper naphthenate, cobalt naphthenate, zinc naphthenate, triethylamine, triethylenediamine, 2-methyltriethyleneamine, dibutyl tin dilaurate;

metal carboxylates, including, but not limited to;

organobismuth catalysts such as bismuth neodecanoate, CAS 34364-26-6;

zinc neodecanoate, CAS 27253-29-8;

zirconium neodecanoate, CAS 39049-04-2; and

zinc 2-ethylhexanoate, CAS 136-53-8;

sulfonic acids, including but not limited to dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid, CAS 27176-87-0; and

methane sulfonic acid, CAS 75-75-2;

amino or organo-base catalysts, including, but not limited to;

1,2-dimethylimidazole, CAS 1739-84-0; and

diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO), CAS 280-57-9 (strong base); and

triphenyl phosphine;

alkoxides of zirconium and titanium, including, but not limited to zirconium butoxide, (tetrabutyl zirconate) CAS 1071-76-7; and

titanium butoxide, (tetrabutyl titanate) CAS 5593-70-4; and

ionic liquid phosphonium, imidazolium, and pyridinium salts, such as, but not limited to, trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate, CAS No. 374683-44-0;

1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, CAS No. 284049-75-8; and

N-butyl-4-methylpyridinium chloride, CAS No. 125652-55-3; and

tetradecyl(trihexyl) phosphonium.

5. A Supercoating suitable for coating wire wherein the Supercoating comprises at least two layers, wherein the first layer is a Primary Coating that is in contact with the outer surface of the wire and the second layer is a Secondary Coating in contact with the outer surface of the Primary Coating;

wherein the cured Primary Coating on the wire has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85°

C. and 85% relative humidity;

A) a % RAU of from about 84% to about 99%;

B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.15 MPa and about 0.60 MPa; and

C) a Tube Tg, of from about −

25°

C. to about −

55°

C.; and

wherein the cured Secondary Coating on the wire has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85°

C. and 85% relative humidity;

A) a % RAU of from about 80% to about 98%;

B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.60 GPa and about 1.90 GPa; and

C) a Tube Tg, of from about 50°

C. to about 80°

C.

6. A wire coated with the Supercoating of claim 5.