KR19990044432A - Fiberglass Ribbon Assembly and Radiation Curable Matrix Formation Composition - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical glass fiber ribbon assembly composed of a plurality of coated optical glass fibers and a matrix material, each of which combines a plurality of coated optical glass fibers in a ribbon format.

There is provided an optical glass fiber assembly containing a matrix material and a plurality of coated optical glass fibers bonded to each other by the matrix material,

The matrix material is

(Iii) an expansion index grade capable of functionally facilitating span center access to the optical glass fibers by solvent stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fibers; And

(Ii) an expansion index that provides a combination of properties of glass transition temperature grades that facilitate short access to the optical glass fibers by thermal stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fibers at the ends of the optical glass fiber assemblies; And a glass transition temperature.

Description

Optical Fiberglass Ribbon Assemblies and Radiation Curable Matrix Forming Compositions

For multichannel signaling, ribbon assemblies containing multiple optical fibers have been used. The optical fiberglass ribbon assembly is widely used for communication.

Conventional ribbon assemblies are parallel and are manufactured by combining a plurality of coated optical glass fibers with a matrix material, respectively. The matrix material holds each optical glass fiber in a straight line and serves to protect the same during handling and installation. Often the fibers are arranged in a ribbon structure having a flat, spiral-like structure that generally contains about 4 to 24 fibers. Depending on the present application, the plurality of ribbon assemblies obtained can be combined into a cable having up to about one thousand optical glass fibers each coated.

The coated optical glass fibers are usually provided with an outer colored layer to identify each glass fiber. Usually optical glass fibers are each coated first with at least one coating that adheres to the glass fibers, and then adhered to the coating and coated with a UV curable ink. And the required number of optically coated optical glass fibers are bonded to each other in the ribbon assembly using the matrix material.

Coatings, inks and matrix materials are usually UV curable compositions. Examples of ribbon assemblies are described in European Patent Publication No. 198991. As described in US Pat. No. 4,906,067, generally multiple ribbon assemblies are bonded to one another in a cable.

In use, it is usually required that the branched fibers should be connected at each end of a given length of ribbon at an intermediate position. Accessing each fiber in this manner is commonly referred to as a "span center approach", and particular problems reside. Normal methods and mechanisms for accessing the ends or ends of the ribbon assembly are generally not well adapted or cannot provide span center access.

One way to provide a span centered approach is to contact the matrix material with a solvent such as ethanol or isopropyl alcohol. The solvent should be able to expand and soften the matrix material. At the same time the solvent should be chosen so that the coating does not swell on each optical glass fiber. When the matrix material is expanded, the matrix material is weakened to remove the matrix material and mechanically remove it by a gentle scrubbing method or similar mechanical method to provide access to each coated, optically colored fiberglass. Can be. The matrix resin material and solvent should be selected to be useful for this type of solvent stripping method. Examples of such solvent stripping methods are described in the AT & T book "D-182355 Accuribbon (trade name) Single Fiber Access" (1991.3.3.).

In use, it is usually required that ribbon assemblies having respective lengths be connected to one another at their ends (hereinafter referred to as "short-access"). This was conventionally obtained by fusing each end of the fibers. It is important for this purpose to stabilize the connection while minimizing signal loss or attenuation.

A conventional method for obtaining short access of optical glass fibers at the ends of the ribbon assembly is to use a heat stripping method. The heat stripping method uses a conventional heat immersion mechanism. The apparatus consists of two plates with heating means. The end of the ribbon assembly is clamped between two heating plates, and heating with the instrument softens the matrix material and softens the coating on each optical glass fiber. The heat-softened matrix material and heat-softened coating present on each optical glass fiber may be removed to strip off the optical glass fiber ends that may be connected. Knife cutting is often used to initiate rupture in the matrix material. Typically only 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the coating on the fiberglass and the matrix material need to be removed to identify each stripped optical fiber while tracking back along the stripped optical fiber until pigment coating appears. .

U. S. Patent No. 5,373, 578 discloses a ribbon assembly containing a plurality of coated optical glass fibers. Each optical glass fiber is coated with a primary coating adjacent to the optical glass fiber and a secondary coating and ink coating on the primary coating. The primary coating is modified so that the adhesion between the primary coating and the optical glass fibers is reduced. Reducing the adhesion makes it easier to remove the heat-softened primary coating when using heat stripping. The adhesion between the primary coating and the optical glass fibers in lines 10-13 of US Pat. No. 5 states that the adhesion between the primary coating and the optical glass fibers should be sufficient to prevent the primary coating from peeling off from the optical glass fibers, If the adhesion between the glass fibers is reduced, there is a greater possibility that undesirable peeling may occur above in the wet state. When the primary coating is peeled off from the optical glass fibers, the optical glass fibers are decomposed and the signal transmitted through the optical glass fibers can be attenuated.

Therefore, there is a need for fiber assemblies having matrix materials that combine functional properties that allow both easy and effective span center access of optical glass fibers using solvent stripping and also easy and effective short access of optical glass fibers using heat stripping. . Conventional fiber assemblies do not contain matrix materials having a combination of functional properties that allow both the span-centered access of optical glass fibers using solvent stripping and the short access of optical glass fibers using heat stripping as described above. not.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ribbon assembly containing a matrix material having a combination of properties allowing both the span center access of the optical glass fibers using the solvent stripping method and the short access of the optical glass fibers using the heat stripping method.

Another object of the present invention is a property that allows both the span-centered approach of optical glass fibers using solvent stripping and the short access of optical glass fibers using heat stripping when coated on a plurality of coated optical glass fibers and properly cured. To provide a radiation curable matrix forming composition adapted for use in forming a ribbon assembly.

These and other objects are obtained by the following.

(a) Glass transition temperature (hereinafter referred to as "Tg") and (b) Span center approach of optical glass fibers using solvent stripping and balancing by adjusting the expansion index of matrix material and optical glass fibers using heat stripping It has been found that matrix materials are provided for ribbon assemblies having a combination of functional properties that allow for both short-access.

The present invention relates to a ribbon assembly composed of a plurality of coated optical glass fibers and a matrix material bonded to each other by a matrix material. The matrix material has a combination of expansion index and Tg properties that allow both span center access of optical glass fibers using solvent stripping and short access of optical glass fibers using heat stripping.

The present invention is also coated on a plurality of coated optical glass fibers and, when properly cured, allows both a span centered approach to optical glass fibers using solvent stripping and a short access to optical glass fibers using heat stripping. A radiation curable matrix forming composition having an expansion index and Tg.

The matrix forming composition consists of at least one monomer or oligomer that polymerizes when exposed to radiation.

The present invention relates to an optical glass fiber ribbon assembly composed of a plurality of coated optical glass fibers and a matrix material, each bonding a plurality of coated optical glass fibers to each other in a ribbon format. The matrix material combines properties that allow both mid-span access of the optical glass fibers using solvent stripping and end-access at the ends of the optical glass fibers using heat stripping. Have. The invention also relates to radiation curable, matrix forming compositions.

When the coating composition cures, the matrix material provides an expansion index and Tg that provides a combination of both a span centered approach to optical glass fibers using solvent stripping and a short access to optical glass fibers using thermal stripping. And a conventional radiation curable matrix forming composition remixed to have. Examples of conventional radiation curable matrix forming compositions that can be recombined according to the present invention are described in US Pat. No. 4,844,604, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

The radiation curable matrix forming composition according to the invention consists of at least one monomer or oligomer having as a main component a functional group capable of polymerization when exposed to radiation. Examples of such functional groups include ethylenically unsaturated compounds such as acrylamide, acrylate, methacrylate, vinylether or malate vinylether functionality and epoxy groups, thiolenes or aminenes. The monomer or oligomer preferably contains an acrylate or methacrylate functionality.

The radiation curable matrix forming composition may also contain a diluent having a functional group copolymerizable with the functionality of the monomer or oligomer. The diluent contains the functional groups described above for the oligomers or monomers. For example, the diluent can be an acrylate monomer such as hexanediol diacrylate or trimethylol propane triacrylate.

The matrix forming composition may also consist of photoinitiators, stabilizers or anti-sticking agents to their known functions.

The expansion index of the cured matrix material can be easily determined by measuring the initial volume of the matrix material, immersing the matrix material in the solvent, and measuring the volume of the matrix material after immersion. The expansion index is the volume percent change of the matrix material.

The expansion index of the matrix material will depend on the specific solvent chosen. Any solvent may be used as long as it can (1) expand the matrix material and (2) have no specific volume and no toxic effects on the coating on the optical glass fibers. Based on what has been described above, those skilled in the art will readily be able to determine whether a solvent is suitable for expanding the matrix material. Examples of suitable solvents have been found to be ethanol and / or isopropyl alcohol.

It is desirable to expand the matrix material in the solvent within a short time period of about 10 minutes or less, preferably about 7 minutes or less. Preferably, the cured matrix material is immersed in a solvent at ambient operating temperature. However, if desired, the solvent may be heated to increase the rate of expansion of the matrix material.

If the expansion index of the matrix material is insufficient, those skilled in the art will be able to easily rearrange the matrix forming composition to increase the expansion index of the matrix material. For example, the matrix forming composition can be remixed to reduce the crosslinking density. This can be done by reducing the amount of crosslinker such as SR368 (Sartomer) used in the examples below. Another suitable way to increase the expansion index has been to increase the amount of radiation curable oligomers used in matrix forming compositions such as Ebecryl 4842.

The expansion index should be sufficient to rub off the polished surface or peel off the expanded matrix material so that the matrix material can be easily separated from the optical glass fibers. Examples of suitable expansion indices have been found to be at least 7% by volume, preferably at least about 10% by volume, more preferably at least about 15% by volume.

At the same time for short access using the heat stripping method, the Tg of the cured matrix material should be sufficient to maintain sufficient structural bondability of the matrix material when separated from the optical glass fibers. If the Tg is not high enough to maintain the structural integrity of the matrix material, the matrix material will be disadvantageously broken when separated from the optical glass fibers.

In addition, when a force is applied to the matrix material to separate the heat-softened matrix material from the optical glass fiber, sufficient force is transmitted through the matrix material, and the coating present on the optical glass fiber is added to the primary coating on the optical glass fiber. The Tg of the cured matrix material must be high enough to separate the heat-softened primary coating from the optical glass fibers. In the method, when the cured matrix material according to the present invention is separated from the optical glass fibers, the matrix material and the primary coating can be efficiently and rapidly separated from the optical glass fibers so that the peeled optical glass fibers can be connected. .

The present invention solves the problems associated with conventional methods of reducing the adhesion between the primary coating and the optical glass fibers to provide heat tack. When the adhesion between the primary coating and the optical glass fibers is reduced to provide tackiness, the primary coating can peel off from the optical glass fibers in the wet state, thereby attenuating the signal transmitted through the optical glass fibers. . In the present invention, the adhesion between the primary coating and the optical glass fibers need not be reduced to provide thermal tack.

The temperature of the heating stripping apparatus required will depend on the Tg of the matrix material. The higher the matrix temperature Tg, the higher the temperature that can be applied to the matrix material while maintaining the structural binding of the matrix material. Typical temperatures used to heat strip matrix materials are about 90 ° C.

Those skilled in the art will know how to modify the components present in the matrix forming composition to provide a cured matrix material having the desired Tg. For example, those skilled in the art will be able to increase the hydraulic volume of oligomers or monomers present in the matrix forming composition and generally increase the Tg of the cured matrix material. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the crosslink density in the cured matrix can be increased and will generally increase the Tg.

Suitable Tg of the cured matrix material, which has short access to optical glass fibers using heat tack, is at least about 60 ° C., preferably at least about 80 ° C. and most preferably at least about 95 ° C. The Tg of the matrix material can be measured using dynamic mechanical analysis using a temperature of tangent delta maximum as a conventional marker for identifying the temperature.

Optical fiberglass ribbon assemblies made in accordance with the present invention can be used in communication systems. The communication system typically includes an optical fiberglass ribbon assembly containing a optical fiberglass, a transmitter, a receiver and a switch. An assembly containing optical fiber is basically a unit that connects a communication system. The assembly can be buried beneath the ground or underwater for long distance connections, such as between cities.

The invention will be further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples.

The invention will be further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples (E1-E7) and comparative examples (C1-C5). The radiation curable matrix forming composition was prepared by combining the elements shown in Table 1 below. The composition was then coated onto a polyester film and cured under nitrogen atmosphere using a Joule fused D-lamp.

The expansion index and Tg of the cured matrix material were then measured and the results are shown in Table 1.

Reactant C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 E7 Urethane Acrylate 1003H · · 50 · · · · · · · · Urethane Acrylate 1004H 49.35 36.22 16.1 · · · 32.2 16.10 24.68 16.1 · · Urethane Acrylate 1003-9 · 16.1 16.1 Evercryl 4842 0 12.08 16.1 0 74.5 49.35 32.2 40.25 24.68 40.25 40.25 40.25 Lucerine TPO · · · 1.5 · · · · · · 3.0 Satomer SR368 31.15 32.20 48.3 31.5 · 31.15 16.1 24.15 31.15 24.15 24.15 24.15 Satomer SR351 · · · · 22.0 · · · · · · · Satomer SR238 5 5 5 5 · 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Satomer SR506 10 10 10 · · 10 10 10 10 · · · IBOA · · · 10 · · · · · · · · Tinuvin 292 · · · 0.5 · · · · · · · · Vinyl caprolactam · · · · · · · · · 10 10 10 Irgacure 184 3 3 3 · 2.0 3 3 3 · 3 3 · Irganox 1010 · · · 0.5 · · · · · · · · Irganox 1035 · · · · · · · · · · 0.5 0.5 Irganox 245 0.5 0.5 0.5 · 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 · 0.5 · · DC-190 0.64 0.64 0.64 0.64 0.67 0.64 0.64 0.64 · 0.64 0.64 0.64 DC-57 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.33 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.33 0.36 result Expansion index (% by volume) 4.9 4.9 4.9 7 31 25.2 36.4 25.2 14.7 19.9 19.9 19.9 Glass transition temperature (℃) 100.6 · 150.5 106 33 112.5 62 95.5 100 113 108 103

Reactant:

Urethane acrylate 1003H:

Polyether based aliphatic urethane acrylate oligomers having a number average molecular weight in the range of 1200-1400 and an average of two acrylate functional groups.

Urethane acrylate 1004H:

Aromatic urethane acrylate oligomers based on polyethers and having a number average molecular weight in the range of 1300-1600 and an average of two acrylate functional groups.

Urethane acrylate 1003-9:

Polyether based aliphatic urethane acrylate oligomers having a number average molecular weight in the range of 1300-1500 and an average of two acrylate functional groups.

Evercryl 4842:

Silicone acrylate oligomers (Radcure Inc.).

Lucerine TPO:

Diphenyl (2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phosphine oxide and 2-hydroxy-1-methyl-1-phenyl-1-propaneone (BASF).

SR238:

1,5-hexadiol diacrylate (sartomer).

SR351:

Trimethylolpropane triacrylate (sartomer).

SR368:

Tris (2-hydroxy ethyl isocyanurate triacrylate) (Sartomer).

SR506:

Isobornyl acrylate (sartomer).

Tinuvin 292:

Bis (1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidinyl sebacate) (Ciba Geigy).

IBOA:

Isobornyl acrylate (Radcure Incorporated).

DC-57:

Di-methyl, methyl (polyethyleneoxide acetate-cap) siloxane, polyethylene glycol diacetate, polyethylene glycol allyl ether acetate (TAB).

DC-190:

Di-methyl, methyl (propylpolyethylene oxide polypropylene oxide, acetate) siloxane (TAB).

Irgacure 184:

1-hydroxycyclohexylphenyl ketone (Ciba gauge).

Irganox 1010:

Tetrakis (methylene (3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyhydrocinnamate)) methane (Ciba gauge).

Irganox 245:

Triethylene glycol bis (3- (3'-tert-butyl-4'-hydroxy-5'-methylphenyl (propionate))) (Ciba gauge).

All matrix material examples according to the present invention are represented by a combination of high Tg and high expansion index. Thus, in this embodiment the ribbon assembly containing the matrix material will provide short span access of each optical glass fiber using solvent stripping or span centered access of each optical glass fiber using heat stripping. The known ribbon assemblies shown by Comparative Examples C1-C5 do not have a matrix material having a combination of properties that allow both span center access of optical glass fibers using solvent stripping and short access using heat stripping.

Test procedure

Expansion Index

The expansion index was measured by immersing the matrix material cured in 95% ethanol, 5% isopropyl alcohol solution at ambient temperature for about 7 minutes. The expansion index reported in Table 1 is the volume% change of matrix material after immersion in solution.

Tg

The modulus of elasticity (E ′), viscous modulus (E ″) and tan delta (E ″ / E ′) of this embodiment are 1) the MS-DOS 5.0 operating system and loaded Rios (trade name) software (version 4.2.2 or later). A personal computer with; 2) Measurements were made using a flow measurement solids analyzer (RSA-11) equipped with a liquid nitrogen control system for low temperature operation. The maximum value of measured delta is Tg.

A test sample was prepared by capturing a film of material having a thickness in the range of 0.02 mm to 0.4 mm on a glass plate. The sample film was cured using a UV processor. The specimens were cut about 1.4 mm long and about 12 mm wide from the undetected site of the cured film. Because of the tendency of the soft films to have a sticky surface, the cutting specimens were coated with talc powder using an applicator with a cotton tip.

The film thickness of the specimen was measured at five or more locations along its length. The average film thickness was calculated to be ± 0.001 mm. The thickness cannot vary by more than 0.01 mm. If the above conditions were not met, another specimen was taken. The width of the specimen was measured at two or more positions, and the average value was calculated to be ± 0.1 mm.

The bonding structure of the sample was introduced into the equipment. The length was set to a value of 23.2 mm, and the measured values of the width and thickness of the sample specimen were introduced into the appropriate length.

Moisture was removed from the test sample using the test sample for 5 minutes under nitrogen atmosphere at 80 ° C. before the temperature sweep. The temperature sweep used includes cooling the test sample to about -60 ° C or about -80 ° C and increasing the temperature to about 1 ° C / min until the temperature reaches the point of equilibrium modulus. The test frequency used was 1.0 radians / second.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art may make various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

Claims (11)

Multiple optical glass fibers coated; And A matrix material which bonds the coated plurality of optical glass fibers to each other, The matrix material is (Iii) an expansion index grade capable of functionally facilitating span center access to the optical glass fibers by solvent stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fibers; And (Ii) having a combination of characteristics of glass transition temperature grades that facilitate short access to the optical glass fibers by thermal stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fibers at the ends of the optical glass fiber assemblies. Optical fiberglass assembly. Multiple optical glass fibers coated; And A matrix material which bonds the coated plurality of optical glass fibers to each other, The matrix material is (Iii) an expansion index of at least 7% by volume to facilitate span center access to the optical glass fibers by solvent stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fibers; And (Ii) having a glass transition temperature characteristic of at least about 60 ° C. that facilitates short access to the optical glass fibers by thermal stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fibers at the ends of the optical glass fiber assemblies. An optical glass fiber assembly, characterized in that. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the matrix material has an expansion index of at least about 10% by volume. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, And said matrix material has an expansion index of at least about 15% by volume. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The expansion index of the matrix material is measured in a solution consisting of ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol under ambient operating conditions. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, And wherein said matrix material has a glass transition temperature of at least about 80 ° C. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, And said matrix material has a glass transition temperature of at least about 95 ° C. When coated on a number of coated optical glass fibers and properly cured, (Iii) an expansion index grade capable of functionally facilitating span center access to the optical glass fibers by solvent stripping of matrix material from the optical glass fibers; And (Ii) having a combination of properties of glass transition temperature grades that facilitate short access to the optical glass fibers by thermal stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fibers at the ends of the optical glass fiber assembly, forming the matrix The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition consists of at least one monomer or oligomer that polymerizes when exposed to radiation. When coated on a number of coated optical glass fibers and properly cured, (Iii) an expansion index of at least 7% by volume, which functionally facilitates span center access to the optical glass fibers by solvent stripping of matrix material from the optical glass fibers; And (Ii) has a combination of properties of glass transition temperature of at least about 60 ° C. that facilitates short access to the optical glass fiber by thermal stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fiber at the end of the optical glass fiber assembly. Wherein said matrix forming composition consists of at least one monomer or oligomer which polymerizes upon exposure to radiation. Matrix materials; And an optical glass fiber assembly containing a plurality of coated optical glass fibers bonded to each other by the matrix material, wherein the matrix material is (Iii) an expansion index grade capable of functionally facilitating span center access to the optical glass fibers by solvent stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fibers; And (Ii) an expansion index that provides a combination of properties of glass transition temperature grades that facilitate short access to the optical glass fibers by thermal stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fibers at the ends of the optical glass fiber assemblies; And a glass transition temperature. Matrix materials; And an optical glass fiber assembly containing a plurality of coated optical glass fibers bonded to each other by the matrix material, wherein the matrix material is (Iii) an expansion index of at least 7% by volume to facilitate span center access to the optical glass fibers by solvent stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fibers; And (Ii) combining the properties of a glass transition temperature of at least about 60 ° C. to facilitate short access to the optical glass fibers by thermal stripping of the matrix material from the optical glass fibers at the ends of the optical glass fiber assemblies. And a glass transition temperature of at least about 60 [deg.] C. and an expansion index of at least 7 vol%.