Solvent-free, radiation-curable, optical glass fiber coating composition and solvent-free method for making a solvent-free, radiation-curable, optical glass fiber coating composition

• US 5,847,021 A
• Filed: 11/01/1996
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DSM IP Assets BV (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Original Assignee: Dsm Nv
• Inventors: Murphy, Edward J., Tortorello, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman, Susan W.
• Application Number:
  US08/740,725
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 522/90, 522/91, 522/96, 522/93, 528/65, 528/363, 528/366, 385/145, 428/378
• US Class Current: 522/90
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 25/106 Single coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 25/1065 Multiple coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/40 High-molecular-weight compounds C08G18/2805 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/48 Polyethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/62 Polymers of compounds having carbon-to-carbon double bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/6229 Polymers of hydroxy groups containing esters of acrylic or methacrylic acid with aliphatic polyalcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/63 Block or graft polymers obtained by polymerising compounds having carbon-to-carbon double bonds on to polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/8158 with unsaturated compounds having only one group containing active hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/027 Non-macromolecular photopolymerisable compounds having carbon-to-carbon double bonds, e.g. ethylenic compounds G03F7/075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0388 with ethylenic or acetylenic bands in the side chains of the photopolymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2938 Coating on discrete and individual rods, strands or filaments

Abstract

The invention relates to a solvent-free radiation curable, optical glass fiber coating composition containing:

a) a urethane oligomer having a functional group capable of polymerization in the presence of actinic radiation, with an average functionality of at least about 1.2, having a vinyl addition polymer as backbone.

b) a urethane compound having a functional group capable of polymerization in the presence of actinic radiation, with an average functionality of at least about 1, containing an organic moiety having about 5 or more carbon atoms as backbone.

c) a reactive diluent.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a solvent-free method for producing a solvent-free, radiation curable urethane oligomer composition.

Claims

1. A radiation curable, optical glass fiber coating composition containing:

a) a urethane-containing polymer, with a vinyl addition polymer backbone, having at least one functional group capable of polymerization in the presence of actinic radiation and an average functionality of at least about 1.2;

b) a urethane compound, with a hydrocarbon, a polyether, a polyester, a polycarbonate, a silicone or a fluorocarbon backbone, having at least one functional group capable of polymerization in the presence of actinic radiation and an average functionality of at least about 1; and

c) a reactive diluent

wherein said urethane-containing polymer is derived from a solvent-free urethane-forming reaction.

2. Coating composition according to claim 1, comprising about 5 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of the urethane-containing polymer (a), about 5 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of the urethane compound (b), and about 5 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of one or more reactive diluents (c).

3. Coating composition according to claim 2, comprising about 15 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of urethane-containing polymer (a), about 15 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of urethane compound (b), and about 10 to about 70 wt. % of one or more reactive diluents (c).

4. Coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises 0.1-10 wt. % photoinitiator.

5. Coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the functional groups capable of polymerization in the presence of actinic radiation are selected from the group of acrylate, methacrylate or vinylether groups.

6. Coating composition according to claim 5, wherein said functional groups are acrylate groups.

7. Coating composition according to claim 1, wherein said urethane-containing polymer (a) has a number average molecular weight between 1000-200,000.

8. Coating composition according to claim 1, wherein said urethane-containing polymer (a) has a functionality of at least about 1.8 and lower than about 20.

9. Coating composition according to claim 1, wherein said urethane-containing polymer (a) has a vinyl addition polymer as backbone, which polymer has a calculated Tg lower than about 0°

C.

10. Coating composition according to claim 1, wherein said urethane compound (b) has a number average molecular weight between about 300 to about 10,000.

11. Coating composition according to claim 1, wherein said urethane compound (b) comprises a backbone being a polyether or hydrocarbon.

12. Coating composition according to claim 1 wherein the reactive diluent (c) contains one or more acrylate, vinyl ether, or N-vinyl groups.

13. Coating composition according to claim 1 wherein the reactive diluent (c) has a molecular weight of less than about 550 or a viscosity at room temperature of less than about 300 mPa.s (measured as 100% diluent).

14. A radiation curable, optical glass fiber coating composition comprising:

(i) a urethane-containing polymer comprising a vinyl addition polymer backbone and at least one functional group capable of polymerization in the presence of actinic radiation;

(ii) a urethane compound comprising a hydrocarbon, a polyether, a polyester, a polycarbonate, a silicone or a fluorocarbon backbone and at least one functional group capable of polymerization in the presence of actinic radiation; and

(iii) at least one reactive diluent

wherein said urethane-containing polymer is derived from a solvent-free urethane-forming reaction.

15. The coating composition according to claim 14, wherein said urethane-containing polymer (i) has an average functionality of at least about 1.2 and said urethane compound (ii) has an average functionality of at least about 1.

16. The coating composition according to claim 14, comprising about 5 wt. % to about 70 wt. %, of the total composition, of said urethane-containing polymer (i), about 5 wt. % to about 70 wt. %, of the total composition, of said urethane compound (ii), and about 5 wt. % to about 70 wt. %, of the total composition, of said at least one reactive diluent (iii).

17. The coating composition according to claim 14, comprising about 15 wt. % to about 50 wt. %, of the total composition, of said urethane-containing polymer (i), about 15 wt. % to about 50 wt. %, of the total composition, of said urethane compound (ii), and about 10 to about 70 wt. %, of the total composition, of one or more reactive diluents (iii).

18. The coating composition according to claim 14, wherein the composition further comprises 0.1-10 wt. %, relative to the total composition, of at least one photoinitiator.

19. The coating composition according to claim 14, wherein the functional groups capable of polymerization in the presence of actinic radiation are selected from the group of acrylate, methacrylate or vinylether groups.

20. The coating composition according to claim 19, wherein said functional groups are acrylate groups.

21. The coating composition according to claim 14, wherein said urethane-containing polymer (i) has a number average molecular weight between 1,000-200,000.

22. The coating composition according to claim 14, wherein said urethane-containing polymer (i) has a functionality of at least about 1.8 and lower than about 20.

23. The coating composition according to claim 14, wherein said vinyl addition polymer backbone of said urethane-containing polymer (i) has a calculated Tg lower than about 0°

C.

24. The coating composition according to claim 14, wherein said urethane compound (ii) has a number average molecular weight between about 300 to about 10,000.

25. The coating composition according to claim 14, wherein said urethane compound (ii) has a polyether or hydrocarbon backbone.

26. The coating composition according to claim 14, wherein the reactive diluent contains one or more acrylate, vinyl ether, or N-vinyl groups.

27. The coating composition according to claim 14, wherein the reactive diluent has a molecular weight of less than about 550 or a viscosity at room temperature of less than about 300 mPa.s (measured as 100% diluent).