Curable halogenated compositions

• US 6,593,392 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Zhikai
• Primary Examiner(s): Seidleck, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McClendon, Sanza L
• Application Number:
  US09/886,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20030050358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 522/70, 522/71, 522/74, 522/77, 522/81, 522/83, 522/84, 522/148, 522/172, 522/155, 522/156, 522/184, 522/185, 385/129, 385/147, 430/270.1, 428/391, 428/394
• US Class Current: 522/83
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2201/011 Nanostructured additives
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/36 Silica
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/5406 containing elements other than oxygen or nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 9/04 Ingredients treated with organic substances treated with macromolecular compounds C08K9/08
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 9/06 with silicon-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2962 Silane, silicone or siloxane in coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2967 Synthetic resin or polymer

Abstract

The invention provides an organic/inorganic hybrid material with low optical loss at telecommunications wavelengths. Energy curable compositions of the present invention include condensed silica nanoparticles, a fluorinated silane coupling agent, an energy curable silane coupling agent, and a halogenated monomer or oligomer. Polymeric materials of the present invention include condensed silica nanoparticles having a mixture of organosilane coupling agents covalently bound to the exterior surface of the nanoparticles and a halogenated solid polymer matrix, wherein the mixture of organosilane coupling agents includes an at least partially fluorinated coupling agent, and a coupling agent covalently bound to the polymer matrix. The materials of the present invention are useful in making low-loss optical devices for telecommunications applications.

Claims

1. A device comprising an optical element including a polymeric material including:

condensed silica nanoparticles having a mixture of organosilane coupling agents covalently bound to the exterior surface of the nanoparticles; and

a halogenated solid polymer matrix,

wherein the mixture of organosilane coupling agents includes an at least partially fluorinated coupling agent, and a coupling agent covalently bound to the polymer matrix; and

the condensed silica nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed in the solid polymer matrix.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the optical element is a planar optical device comprising a waveguide core and a waveguide cladding, wherein at least one of the waveguide core and waveguide cladding is a polymeric material including:

condensed silica nanoparticles having a mixture of organosilane coupling agents covalently bound to the exterior surface of the nanoparticles; and

a halogenated solid polymer matrix,

wherein the mixture of organosilane coupling agents includes an at least partially fluorinated coupling agent, and a coupling agent covalently bound to the polymer matrix; and

the condensed silica nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed in the solid polymer matrix.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the optical element is a thin film optical fiber including alternating layers of two or more transparent materials with differing refractive indices, wherein at least one of the transparent materials is a polymeric material comprising:

condensed silica nanoparticles having a mixture of organosilane coupling agents covalently bound to the exterior surface of the nanoparticles; and

a halogenated solid polymer matrix,

wherein the mixture of organosilane coupling agents includes an at least partially fluorinated coupling agent, and a coupling agent covalently bound to the polymer matrix; and

the condensed silica nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed in the solid polymer matrix.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the optical element is a bulk optical element made from a polymeric material comprising:

condensed silica nanoparticles having a mixture of organosilane coupling agents covalently bound to the exterior surface of the nanoparticles; and

a halogenated solid polymer matrix,

wherein the mixture of organosilane coupling agents includes an at least partially fluorinated coupling agent, and a couplulg agent covalently bound to the polymer matrix; and

the condensed silica nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed in the solid polymer matrix.

5. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material is formed by curing an energy curable composition comprising

condensed silica nanoparticles;

an at least partially fluorinated organosilane coupling agent;

an energy curable organosilane coupling agent including an energy curable organic moiety; and

a halogenated energy curable monomer or oligomer.

6. The optical device of claim 5 wherein:

the at least one partially fluorinated organosilane coupling agent has the formula

7. The optical device of claim 5 wherein the at least partially fluorinated organosilane coupling agent includes a perfluorinated alkane moiety.

8. The optical device of claim 5 wherein the at least partially fluorinated organosilane coupling agent includes a perfluorinated aryl moiety.

9. The optical device of claim 8 wherein the at least partially fluorinated organosilane coupling agent is [3-(pentafluorophenyl)propyl]-trimethoxysilane.

10. The optical device of claim 5 wherein the energy curable organosilane coupling agent includes an energy curable organic moiety which is ethylenically unsaturated.

11. The optical device of claim 10 wherein the energy curable organosilane coupling agent is 3-(methacryloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane.

12. The optical device of claim 5 wherein the energy curable organosilane coupling agent includes an energy curable moiety selected from the group consisting of epoxide and thiol.

13. The optical device of claim 5 wherein the halogenated energy curable monomer or oligomer is a fluorinated monomer selected from the group consisting of fluorinated acrylates, fluorinated methacrylates, fluorinated alkenes, fluorinated malcimides, fluorinated styrenes, fluorinated epoxides, fluorinated vinyl ethers and fluorinated thiols.

14. The optical device of claim 13 wherein the halogenated energy curable monomer or oligomer is 2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluropentane-1,5-diyl diacrylate.

15. The optical device of claim 5 wherein the halogenated energy curable monomer or oligomer is a chlorinated monomer selected from the group consisting of chlorinated acrylates, chlorinated methacrylates, chlorinated styrenes, chlorinated vinyl ethers, chlorinated alkenes, chlorinated malcimides and chlorinated thiols.

16. The optical device of claim 5 wherein the halogenated energy curable monomer or oligomer is an oligomer selected from the group consisting of perfluoropolyether polyacrylates, halogenated polyester polyacrylates, halogenated polyester polymethacrylates, halogenated polycarbonate polyacrylates, and halogenated polycarbonate polymethacrylates.

17. The optical device of claim 5 wherein the halogenated energy curable monomer or oligomer is a capped perfluoropolyether of the formula (A)_n—

R—

Rp—

R′

—

(A)_n wherein Rp is a perfluorinated polyether moiety selected from the group consisting of

18. The optical device of claim 5 further comprising hydrofluoric acid.

19. The optical device of claim 5 wherein substantially all the condensed silica nanoparticles are less than about 75 nm in diameter.

20. The optical device of claim 5 wherein the condensed silica nanoparticles are in the range of about 1 to about 50 nm in diameter.

21. The optical device of claim 5 wherein the condensed silica nanoparticles are in the range of about 5 to about 25 nm in diameter.

22. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material comprises:

condensed silica nanoparticles having a mixture of organosilane coupling agents covalently bound to the exterior surface of the nanoparticles; and

a halogenated solid polymer matrix,

wherein the mixture of organosilane coupling agents includes an at least partially fluorinated coupling agent, and a coupling agent covalently bound to the polymer matrix; and

the condensed silica nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed in the solid polymer matrix.

23. The optical device of claim 22 wherein substantially all the condensed silica nanoparticles are less than about 75 nm in diameter.

24. The optical device of claim 22 wherein the condensed silica nanoparticles are in the range of about 5 to about 50 nm in diameter.

25. The optical device of claim 22 further comprising an at least partially fluorinated organically modified silicate network bicontinuous with the polymer matrix and covatently bound to the polymer matrix through an organosilane coupling agent.

26. The optical device of claim 22 wherein the halogenated solid polymer matrix is a copolymer of 2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluoropentane-1,5-diyl diacrylate.

27. The optical device of claim 22 wherein the mixture of coupling agents includes a 3-(methacryloxypropyl)silanc species and a 3-(pentafluorophenyl)propylsilane species.