Loctite Corporation

Donna M Sutkaitis

Anthony Francis Jacobine

John Gregory Woods

Steven Thomas Nakos

David M Glaser

Philip L Kropp

Margaret A Rakas

Louis M Alberino

A curable thiol-ene composition specially adapted for use as a primary coating on optical fibers comprises a polythiol and a compound having a plurality of norbornene groups thereon, are characterized in that one of either the compound having the plurality of norbornene groups or the polythiol has a backbone of a poly(tetramethylene oxide), or is an oligomer thereof, and the poly(tetramethylene oxide) has a molecular weight of between 250 and 5,000. The formulations are relatively low viscosity liquids at practical application temperatures and cure substantially completely with very low irradiation fluence. The formulations cure in ambient air. There is no need to exclude oxygen or to control humidity. The formulations of the invention can be cured using low intensity UV lamps which do not generate significant amounts of heat. The cured products have excellent low temperature flexibility, good humidity and water absorbtion resistance and good thermal oxidative stability. The formulations may be applied to optical fibers using conventional techniques and cured with UV-vis or EB irradiation.

Optical fiber primary coatings and fibers coated therewith

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Cheshire, CT, United States of America

Donna M Sutkaitis