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The present invention provides materials suitable for use as secondary coatings of optical fibers. According to one embodiment of the invention, a curable composition includes an oligomer and at least one monomer, which when cured forms a cured polymeric material having a Young's modulus of at least

The present invention provides materials suitable for use as secondary coatings of optical fibers. According to one embodiment of the invention, a curable composition includes an oligomer and at least one monomer, which when cured forms a cured polymeric material having a Young's modulus of at least about 1200 MPa, and a fracture toughness of at least about 0.7 MPa·m1/2. According to another embodiment of the invention, a coated optical fiber includes an optical fiber; a primary coating encapsulating the optical fiber; and a secondary coating encapsulating the primary coating, the secondary coating having a Young's modulus of at least about 1200 MPa, and a fracture toughness of at least about 0.7 MPa·m1/2.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A coated optical fiber comprisingan optical fiber having a core and a cladding surrounding the core; a primary coating surrounding the optical fiber; and a secondary coating surrounding the primary, the secondary coating being formed from a cured polymeric material having a Young's modulus of at

1. A coated optical fiber comprisingan optical fiber having a core and a cladding surrounding the core; a primary coating surrounding the optical fiber; and a secondary coating surrounding the primary, the secondary coating being formed from a cured polymeric material having a Young's modulus of at least about 1200 MPa, and a fracture toughness of at least about 0.7 MPa·m1/2. 2. The coated optical fiber of claim 1 wherein the cured polymeric material has an average tensile strength of at least about 48 MPa.3. The coated optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the cured polymeric material has a ductility of at least about 314 μm.4. The coated optical fiber of claim 1 wherein the cured polymeric material is the cured product of a curable composition includingan oligomer; and at least one monomer. 5. The coated optical fiber of claim 4 wherein the oligomer has the structureCAP-OOC?NH?R1?NH?COO-CAP where CAP is a capping moiety having a reactive terminus and R1 is substantially free of urethane bonds.6. The coated optical fiber of claim 4 wherein the oligomer has an Mn of less than about 1600 Daltons.7. The coated optical fiber of claim 4 wherein the oligomer is a multifunctional oligomer having the average structureRM-[OOC?NH?RA?NH?COO-CAP]n where RM is a core moiety having an average functionality of n, where n is greater than 2.2, and CAP is a capping moiety having a reactive terminus.8. The coated optical fiber of claim 4 wherein the oligomer includes a crystallizable polyol-derived block in its structure.9. The coated optical fiber of claim 8 wherein the oligomer has the average structureCAP-OOC?NH?R1?NH?[COO?RX?OOC?NH?R1?NH]w?COO-CAP where w is greater than zero, CAP is a capping moiety having a reactive terminus, andRX includes at least one crystallizable polyol-derived moiety. 10. The coated optical fiber of claim 4 wherein the oligomer includes a rigid subunit in the polyol-derived portion of its structure.11. The coated optical fiber of claim 10 wherein the oligomer has the average structureCAP-OOC?NH?R1?NH?[COO?RL?OOC?NH?R1?NH]w?COO-CAP where w is greater than zero, CAP is a capping moiety having a reactive terminus, and RL includes at least one cyclic rigid moiety.12. The coated optical fiber of claim 4 wherein the oligomer is present in the curable composition used to form the secondary coating at a level of less than about 25%.13. The coated optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the secondary coating has a substantially homogeneous morphology.14. A curable composition comprisingan oligomer; and at least one monomer; wherein the curable composition when cured forms a cured polymeric material having a Young's modulus of at least about 1200 MPa, and a fracture toughness of at least about 0.7 MPa·m1/2.15. The curable composition of claim 14, wherein the cured polymeric material has a ductility of at least about 314 μm.16. The curable composition of claim 14, wherein the oligomer has the structureCAP-OOC?NH?R1?NH?COO-CAP where CAP is a capping moiety having a reactive terminus and R1 is substantially free of urethane bonds.17. The curable composition of claim 14, wherein the oligomer is a multifunctional oligomer having the average structureRM-[OOC?NH?RA?NH?COO-CAP]n where RM is a core moiety having an average functionality of n, where n is greater than 2.2, and CAP is a capping moiety having a reactive terminus.18. The curable composition of claim 14, wherein the oligomer includes in its structure a crystallizable polyol-derived block or a rigid subunit in a polyol-derived portion.19. An optical fiber ribbon comprisinga plurality of optical fibers; and a matrix material encapsulating the plurality of optical fibers, the matrix material being the cured reaction product of the curable composition of claim 14. 20. A coated optical fiber comprising:an optical fiber; a coating system encapsulating the optical fiber; and a marking ink deposited on the exterior of the coating system, the marking ink being the cured reaction product of the curable composition of claim 14. 21. A coated optical fiber comprising:an optical fiber; and a polymeric coating encapsulating the optical fiber, the polymeric coating being formed from a cured polymeric material having a Young's modulus of at least about 1200 MPa, and a fracture toughness of at least about 0.7 MPa·m1/2.