US20040058127A1 - Polishing film and method of producing same - Google Patents
Polishing film and method of producing same Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20040058127A1 US20040058127A1 US10/329,657 US32965702A US2004058127A1 US 20040058127 A1 US20040058127 A1 US 20040058127A1 US 32965702 A US32965702 A US 32965702A US 2004058127 A1 US2004058127 A1 US 2004058127A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- polishing
- average diameter
- silica particles
- polishing layer
- resin binder
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B24—GRINDING; POLISHING
- B24D—TOOLS FOR GRINDING, BUFFING OR SHARPENING
- B24D11/00—Constructional features of flexible abrasive materials; Special features in the manufacture of such materials
- B24D11/001—Manufacture of flexible abrasive materials
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B24—GRINDING; POLISHING
- B24B—MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING; DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS
- B24B19/00—Single-purpose machines or devices for particular grinding operations not covered by any other main group
- B24B19/22—Single-purpose machines or devices for particular grinding operations not covered by any other main group characterised by a special design with respect to properties of the material of non-metallic articles to be ground
- B24B19/226—Single-purpose machines or devices for particular grinding operations not covered by any other main group characterised by a special design with respect to properties of the material of non-metallic articles to be ground of the ends of optical fibres
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B24—GRINDING; POLISHING
- B24D—TOOLS FOR GRINDING, BUFFING OR SHARPENING
- B24D3/00—Physical features of abrasive bodies, or sheets, e.g. abrasive surfaces of special nature; Abrasive bodies or sheets characterised by their constituents
- B24D3/02—Physical features of abrasive bodies, or sheets, e.g. abrasive surfaces of special nature; Abrasive bodies or sheets characterised by their constituents the constituent being used as bonding agent
- B24D3/20—Physical features of abrasive bodies, or sheets, e.g. abrasive surfaces of special nature; Abrasive bodies or sheets characterised by their constituents the constituent being used as bonding agent and being essentially organic
- B24D3/28—Resins or natural or synthetic macromolecular compounds
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
- B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B32B27/00—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin
- B32B27/14—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin next to a particulate layer
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05D—PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05D5/00—Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures
- B05D5/02—Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures to obtain a matt or rough surface
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
- G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
- G02B6/3833—Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture
- G02B6/3863—Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture fabricated by using polishing techniques
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
- Y10T428/24—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
- Y10T428/24355—Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
- Y10T428/24372—Particulate matter
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
- Y10T428/29—Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand, strand portion, rod, filament, macroscopic fiber or mass thereof
- Y10T428/2982—Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]
- Y10T428/2991—Coated
- Y10T428/2993—Silicic or refractory material containing [e.g., tungsten oxide, glass, cement, etc.]
Definitions
- This invention relates to a polishing film for use in polishing the surface of materials such as metals, ceramics, plastics and glass as well as to a method of producing such a film. More particularly, this invention relates to a polishing film for the surface finishing of precision instruments such as optical fiber connectors for communications, color filters for liquid crystal displays, optical lenses, magnetic disk substrates and semiconductor wafers that require a very high degree of surface smoothness, as well as a method of producing such a polishing film.
- precision instruments such as optical fiber connectors for communications, color filters for liquid crystal displays, optical lenses, magnetic disk substrates and semiconductor wafers that require a very high degree of surface smoothness
- Such optical fiber connectors are formed by passing one or more optical fibers through the center of a ferrule made of partially stabilized zirconia obtained by adding aluminum to yttria and adhesively attached to the ferrule by means of a resin adhesive but their end surface must undergo a final surface polishing process such that the end parts of the optical fibers will not protrude by more than 0.1 ⁇ m or indent by more than 0.05 ⁇ m from the end surface of the connector.
- polishing tape having a polishing layer of abrading particles (very small spherical silica particles with average diameter of 0.001-0.5 ⁇ m) and a resin binder formed on the surface of a plastic film either in the form of a tape or by cutting into another shape, as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publications Tokkai 11-333731 and 11-333732.
- the surface smoothness of a precision-requiring component can be improved by using such abrading particles with very small diameters so as to increase the contact surface of individual particles that act on the surface to be polished. Since the polishing layer is extremely flat, however, there arises the problem of lowered polishing capability such that the throughput is adversely affected and locally unpolished spots are left.
- the polishing power can be increased while using abrading particles with such very small diameters if the content of silica particles inside the polishing layer is increased such that the number of abrading particles per unit area contacting the target surface to be polished is increased.
- This causes the contact area of the resin binder inside the polishing layer to be reduced, and this tends to cause the polishing layer to peel off locally during a polishing operation.
- Such peeled-off portions of the polishing layer tend to damage the surface of the precision instrument, frustrating the effort to carry out a precise surface finishing process.
- the polishing power can be increased also if relatively larger abrading particles are used. If the diameters of the abrading particles are increased, however, the contact area of the resin binder in the polishing layer with the plastic film increases and hence the problem of the polishing layer locally peeling off the plastic film can be alleviated but there arises instead the problem that the smoothness of the polished surface of the precision instrument is adversely affected.
- a polishing film embodying this invention may be characterized as comprising a plastic film and a polishing layer formed on its surface, having a mixture of a first group of silica particles with a first average diameter and a second group of silica particles with a second average diameter fixed in a resin binder wherein the first average diameter and the second diameter are different from each other and both within a range of 0.001-10 ⁇ m.
- the mixture of the two groups of silica particles according to this invention has a granularity (grain size) distribution curve with two peaks at two different diameter values corresponding to the first and second average diameters.
- silica particles having two different diameters contribute mainly to the polishing and the surface being polished therewith can be made into a smoothly finished surface with a high level of precision and without unpolished spots due to a synergistic effect of these particles, unlike the conventional polishing films in which only particles with only one particular diameter mainly contribute to the polishing.
- polishing film using a mixture of a group of silica particles with average diameter of 0.02 ⁇ m and another group of silica particles with average diameter of 0.03 ⁇ m at a ratio of 9:1-6:4.
- a method of producing a polishing film according to this invention may be characterized as comprising the steps of applying on a surface of a plastic film a paint obtained by dispersing in a resin binder solution a mixture of silica particles as described above and drying it to form a polishing layer on the surface of the plastic film.
- a resin binder solution of a kind containing oligomers with siloxane bonds it is preferred to use a resin binder solution of a kind containing oligomers with siloxane bonds to form a network of cracks on the surface of the polishing layer.
- This invention therefore provides a polishing film in which silica particles with two different diameters contribute to the polishing process and their synergistic effect makes it possible to obtain a smoothly polished surface without unpolished spots. Moreover, since silica particles with a relatively large diameter are fixed in the polishing layer, the polishing layer does not peel off easily from the plastic film while being used in a polishing process.
- FIG. 1( a ) is a schematic sectional view of a polishing film embodying this invention
- FIG. 1( b ) is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the surface of its polishing layer.
- FIGS. 2 ( a ) and 2 ( b ) are optical microscopic photographs showing the condition of the end surface of an optical fiber connector respectively before and after it was polished by using a polishing film of the test example in the comparison experiment.
- FIGS. 3 ( a ) and 3 ( b ) are optical microscopic photographs showing the condition of the end surface of an optical fiber connector respectively before and after it was polished by using a polishing film of the comparison test example in the comparison experiment.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of an optical fiber connector having its end surface polished in the comparison experiment.
- FIG. 5 is a granularity distribution of silica particles with average diameter of 0.02 ⁇ m.
- FIG. 6 is a granularity distribution of silica particles with average diameter of 0.03 ⁇ m.
- FIG. 7 is a granularity distribution of the mixture of a group of silica particles with average diameter of 0.02 ⁇ m and another group of silica particles with average diameter of 0.03 ⁇ m of the test example.
- FIG. 1( a ) shows a polishing film embodying this invention, having a polishing layer 5 formed on the front surface of a plastic film 1 .
- the polishing layer 5 is formed by fixing a mixture of a first group of silica particles 2 and a second group of silica particles 3 with a resin binder 4 where the silica particles 2 of the first group has a (first) average diameter in the range of 0.001-10 ⁇ m and the silica particles 3 of the second group has a different (second) average diameter also in the same range.
- FIG. 7 shows the granularity distribution curve of the diameters of this mixture of silica particles, showing two peaks 23 and 24 corresponding to the two different average diameter values for the first and second groups of silica particles 2 and 3 .
- the granularity distribution of particles is obtained by taking electron microscopic photographs at several arbitrarily selected parts of the particles, counting the number of particles in each range of their diameters and showing the result of the counting in a graph with the particle diameter shown along the horizontal axis and the number or percentage of particles along the vertical axis.
- the average diameter means where the peak appears on the distribution curve. Particles with the average diameter are most numerously contained and such particles having the average diameter mainly contribute in the polishing process.
- the distribution curve may be for example as shown in FIG. 5, having only one peak 21 at 0.02 ⁇ m and those silica particles with diameter 0.02 ⁇ m contribute mainly in a polishing process.
- the distribution curve may, be for example as shown in FIG. 6, having only one peak 22 at 0.03 ⁇ m and those silica particles with diameter 0.03 ⁇ m contribute mainly in a polishing process.
- silica particles of two different diameter values are caused to contribute mainly in a polishing process such that the target surface of a precision instrument can be finished into a smooth surface with a reduced number of unpolished spots by a synergistic effect of silica particles of two groups with different average diameters.
- plastic film 1 use may be made of any known flexible plastic film of a known kind having a large tensile strength and a superior resistance against heat and chemicals such as films of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester or polypropylene with thickness about 20-150 ⁇ m.
- PET polyethylene terephthalate
- PET polyethylene terephthalate
- polypropylene with thickness about 20-150 ⁇ m.
- the ratio of mixing silica particles of the first group and the second group 2 and 3 may be selected appropriately. If the mixing ratio of the group having the larger average diameter is increased, the polishing power is increased to leave fewer unpolished spots and the probability of the polishing layer 5 peeling off from the surface of the plastic film 1 becomes reduced.
- the mixing ratio of silica particles with the smaller average diameter with respect to those with the larger average diameter should preferably be in the range of 9:1-6:4. This is because the tip portion of optical fibers may sustain an unwanted damage or become deformed if the mixing ratio of silica particles with the larger average diameter exceeds 50%.
- the ratio of the particles with the larger average diameter may be less than that of the particles with the smaller average diameter.
- Polishing films according to this invention may be produced by applying a paint material including aforementioned mixed particles and a binder on the surface of a plastic film and then drying it to thereby form a polishing layer on the surface of the plastic film.
- the binder which may be used for the purpose of this invention include conventional polyurethane and polyester resin binders of known kinds. Methylethyl ketone may be used as its solvent.
- a hardening agent such as isocyanate may be added to a mixture of a resin binder and a solvent.
- a mixture of a resin binder and a solvent (and perhaps also a hardening agent) will be hereinafter referred to as a “resin binder solution.”
- the mixing ratio of the mixed particles with respect to the resin binder solution is within the range of 1:99-99:1
- Oligomers such polyurethanes and polyesters having a siloxane bond may be used conveniently to form a network of cracks 6 on the surface of the polishing layer 5 as shown in FIG. 1( b ). These cracks 6 serve to take in waste materials generated during a polishing process such that the waste materials can be prevented from damaging the target surface being polished.
- a polishing film as a test example was prepared by using a mixture of silica particles of two groups with different average diameters of 0.02 ⁇ m and 0.03 ⁇ m and having a distribution curve as shown in FIG. 7 with two peaks at 0.02 ⁇ m and 0.03 ⁇ m.
- a liquid having silica particles with average diameter 0.02 ⁇ m dispersed therein (IPA-ST by tradename produced by Nissan Chemical Industries Corporation) (3150 g) and another liquid having silica particles with average diameter 0.03 ⁇ m dispersed therein (MA-ST-M by tradename produced by Nissan Chemical Industries Corporation) (1012.5 g) were placed inside a mixer and this mixed liquid with silica particles with different average diameters were mixed together for five minutes by stirring with ultrasonic waves.
- a resin binder solution comprising oligomers having siloxane bonds (KR-211 by tradename produced by Shinetsu Chemical Industries Corporation) (203.6 g) was gradually added thereafter and mixed together by stirring for five minutes with ultrasonic waves so as to uniformly disperse the mixed particles inside this resin binder solution.
- another resin binder solution comprising oligomers having siloxane bonds (T8001 by tradename produced by JSR Corporation) (37.5 g) was gradually added and mixed together by stirring for 30 minutes with ultrasonic waves so as to uniformly disperse the mixed particles inside these resin binder solutions and to thereby obtain a paint.
- this paint was filtered through a 1.0 ⁇ m filter, it was uniformly applied over a surface of a PET film of thickness 75 ⁇ m in an atmosphere of about 20° C. by a gravure reverse coating method, and after it was dried so as to evaporate the solvent in the resin binder, it was further subjected to a heat process in an atmosphere of 100° C. to form a polishing layer of thickness 6 ⁇ m.
- the PET film was one obtained by extruding PET and polyester resin together and then subjecting the extrusion to a drawing process. In other words, use was made of a PET film with a primer processing carried out thereon. A network of cracks as shown in FIG. 1( b ) was formed on the surface of this polishing layer.
- FIG. 5 shows the granularity distribution of the silica particles, having a single peak at a diameter value (0.02 ⁇ m) corresponding to their average diameter 0.02 ⁇ m.
- a liquid having silica particles with average diameter 0.02 ⁇ m dispersed therein (IPA-ST by tradename produced by Nissan Chemical Industries Corporation) (4500 g) was placed inside a mixer and this mixture was stirred together for five minutes with ultrasonic waves.
- IPA-ST by tradename produced by Nissan Chemical Industries Corporation
- a resin binder solution comprising oligomers having siloxane bonds (KR-211 by tradename produced by Shinetsu Chemical Industries Corporation) (203.6 g) was gradually added and stirred for five minutes with ultrasonic waves so as to uniformly disperse the siloxane particles inside this resin binder solution.
- this paint was filtered through a 1.0 ⁇ m filter, it was uniformly applied over a surface of a PET film of thickness 75 ⁇ m in an atmosphere of about 20° C. by a gravure reverse coating method, and after it was dried so as to evaporate the solvent in the resin binder, it was further subjected to a heat process in an atmosphere of 100° C. to form a polishing layer of thickness 6 ⁇ m, as done for the text example. A similar network of cracks as shown in FIG. 1( b ) was formed on the surface of this polishing layer.
- each of the polishing films of the test and comparison examples was used to finish the end surface of an optical fiber connector 10 as shown in FIG. 4 composed of a communication optical glass fiber 11 penetrating and adhesively attached to a zirconium ferrule 12 preliminarily roughly polished by using a polishing liquid containing diamond particles and a non-woven cloth pad.
- the polishing was carried out as shown in FIG. 4 by pasting a polishing film 15 on a rotary disk 14 having an elastic pad 13 attached thereto and pressing the end surface of the optical fiber connector with a specified pressure while the disk 14 is rotated.
- the comparison experiment was carried out by rotating the disk 14 at the rate of 200 rpm and pressing each fiber optical connector at a pressure of 180 g per fiber for 4 minutes.
Abstract
A polishing film includes a plastic film and a polishing layer formed on its surface, having a mixture of a first group of silica particles with a first average diameter and a second group of silica particles with a second average diameter fixed in a resin binder, the first average diameter and the second diameter being different from each other and both within a range of 0.001-10 μm. The mixture of the two groups of silica particles has a granularity distribution curve with two peaks at two different diameter values corresponding to the first and second average diameters.
Description
- This invention relates to a polishing film for use in polishing the surface of materials such as metals, ceramics, plastics and glass as well as to a method of producing such a film. More particularly, this invention relates to a polishing film for the surface finishing of precision instruments such as optical fiber connectors for communications, color filters for liquid crystal displays, optical lenses, magnetic disk substrates and semiconductor wafers that require a very high degree of surface smoothness, as well as a method of producing such a polishing film.
- If there are unwanted scratch marks or protrusions on the surface of such an instrument requiring a high degree of smoothness, the instrument may cease to be able to function as expected according to its design. Thus, the final polishing is a very important step that controls the functions of such a precision instrument. For example, optical fibers for communications are coming to be commonly used as communication lines instead of the traditional copper wires, and they are usually connected by means of connectors. Such optical fiber connectors are formed by passing one or more optical fibers through the center of a ferrule made of partially stabilized zirconia obtained by adding aluminum to yttria and adhesively attached to the ferrule by means of a resin adhesive but their end surface must undergo a final surface polishing process such that the end parts of the optical fibers will not protrude by more than 0.1 μm or indent by more than 0.05 μm from the end surface of the connector. If there is left at the end part of the optical fibers a damage or a left-over adhesive spilled out of the gap with the ferrule, or if the end part of the optical fibers is polished excessively and becomes deformed, furthermore, scattering of light and other phenomena take place at the end part of the optical fibers and the transmission characteristics of the communication system as a whole come to frustrate the original design. Thus, the end part of such optical fibers must be smoothed to a high level of precision.
- For the finishing of the end part of optical fibers and the polishing of surfaces of other precision instruments, it has been known to use a polishing tape having a polishing layer of abrading particles (very small spherical silica particles with average diameter of 0.001-0.5 μm) and a resin binder formed on the surface of a plastic film either in the form of a tape or by cutting into another shape, as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publications Tokkai 11-333731 and 11-333732.
- The surface smoothness of a precision-requiring component can be improved by using such abrading particles with very small diameters so as to increase the contact surface of individual particles that act on the surface to be polished. Since the polishing layer is extremely flat, however, there arises the problem of lowered polishing capability such that the throughput is adversely affected and locally unpolished spots are left.
- The polishing power can be increased while using abrading particles with such very small diameters if the content of silica particles inside the polishing layer is increased such that the number of abrading particles per unit area contacting the target surface to be polished is increased. This, however, causes the contact area of the resin binder inside the polishing layer to be reduced, and this tends to cause the polishing layer to peel off locally during a polishing operation. Such peeled-off portions of the polishing layer tend to damage the surface of the precision instrument, frustrating the effort to carry out a precise surface finishing process.
- The polishing power can be increased also if relatively larger abrading particles are used. If the diameters of the abrading particles are increased, however, the contact area of the resin binder in the polishing layer with the plastic film increases and hence the problem of the polishing layer locally peeling off the plastic film can be alleviated but there arises instead the problem that the smoothness of the polished surface of the precision instrument is adversely affected.
- As explained above, the smoothness of the polished surface of a precision instrument, the polishing power and the phenomenon of the polishing layer peeling off the plastic film are all dependent heavily on the size of the abrading particles. Thus, the selection of the size of abrading particles is an important problem in the technical field of surface finishing of a precision instrument.
- In view of the above, it is an object of this invention to provide a polishing film capable of smoothly finishing the surface of a precision instrument without leaving any localized unpolished spots.
- It is another object of this invention to provide a method of producing such a polishing film.
- A polishing film embodying this invention, with which the above and other objects can be accomplished may be characterized as comprising a plastic film and a polishing layer formed on its surface, having a mixture of a first group of silica particles with a first average diameter and a second group of silica particles with a second average diameter fixed in a resin binder wherein the first average diameter and the second diameter are different from each other and both within a range of 0.001-10 μm.
- The mixture of the two groups of silica particles according to this invention has a granularity (grain size) distribution curve with two peaks at two different diameter values corresponding to the first and second average diameters. In other words, silica particles having two different diameters contribute mainly to the polishing and the surface being polished therewith can be made into a smoothly finished surface with a high level of precision and without unpolished spots due to a synergistic effect of these particles, unlike the conventional polishing films in which only particles with only one particular diameter mainly contribute to the polishing.
- For polishing the end surface of an optical fiber connector, it is preferred to use a polishing film using a mixture of a group of silica particles with average diameter of 0.02 μm and another group of silica particles with average diameter of 0.03 μm at a ratio of 9:1-6:4.
- A method of producing a polishing film according to this invention may be characterized as comprising the steps of applying on a surface of a plastic film a paint obtained by dispersing in a resin binder solution a mixture of silica particles as described above and drying it to form a polishing layer on the surface of the plastic film. In this method, it is preferred to use a resin binder solution of a kind containing oligomers with siloxane bonds to form a network of cracks on the surface of the polishing layer.
- This invention therefore provides a polishing film in which silica particles with two different diameters contribute to the polishing process and their synergistic effect makes it possible to obtain a smoothly polished surface without unpolished spots. Moreover, since silica particles with a relatively large diameter are fixed in the polishing layer, the polishing layer does not peel off easily from the plastic film while being used in a polishing process.
- FIG. 1(a) is a schematic sectional view of a polishing film embodying this invention, and FIG. 1(b) is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the surface of its polishing layer.
- FIGS.2(a) and 2(b) are optical microscopic photographs showing the condition of the end surface of an optical fiber connector respectively before and after it was polished by using a polishing film of the test example in the comparison experiment.
- FIGS.3(a) and 3(b) are optical microscopic photographs showing the condition of the end surface of an optical fiber connector respectively before and after it was polished by using a polishing film of the comparison test example in the comparison experiment.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of an optical fiber connector having its end surface polished in the comparison experiment.
- FIG. 5 is a granularity distribution of silica particles with average diameter of 0.02 μm.
- FIG. 6 is a granularity distribution of silica particles with average diameter of 0.03 μm.
- FIG. 7 is a granularity distribution of the mixture of a group of silica particles with average diameter of 0.02 μm and another group of silica particles with average diameter of 0.03 μm of the test example.
- FIG. 1(a) shows a polishing film embodying this invention, having a
polishing layer 5 formed on the front surface of aplastic film 1. Thepolishing layer 5 is formed by fixing a mixture of a first group ofsilica particles 2 and a second group ofsilica particles 3 with aresin binder 4 where thesilica particles 2 of the first group has a (first) average diameter in the range of 0.001-10 μm and thesilica particles 3 of the second group has a different (second) average diameter also in the same range. FIG. 7 shows the granularity distribution curve of the diameters of this mixture of silica particles, showing twopeaks silica particles - In general, the granularity distribution of particles is obtained by taking electron microscopic photographs at several arbitrarily selected parts of the particles, counting the number of particles in each range of their diameters and showing the result of the counting in a graph with the particle diameter shown along the horizontal axis and the number or percentage of particles along the vertical axis. The average diameter means where the peak appears on the distribution curve. Particles with the average diameter are most numerously contained and such particles having the average diameter mainly contribute in the polishing process.
- Let us assume, for example, that the first average diameter for the first group of
silica particles 2 is 0.02 μm and the second average diameter for the second group ofsilica particles 3 is 0.03 μm. With silica particles of the first group alone, the distribution curve may be for example as shown in FIG. 5, having only onepeak 21 at 0.02 μm and those silica particles with diameter 0.02 μm contribute mainly in a polishing process. With silica particles of the second group alone, the distribution curve may, be for example as shown in FIG. 6, having only onepeak 22 at 0.03 μm and those silica particles with diameter 0.03 μm contribute mainly in a polishing process. With a mixture of silica particles of both groups present, however, the distribution curve has twopeaks - As an example of
plastic film 1, use may be made of any known flexible plastic film of a known kind having a large tensile strength and a superior resistance against heat and chemicals such as films of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester or polypropylene with thickness about 20-150 μm. In order to improve the adhesive force to the polishing layer, use may be made of those with a surface on which a primer processing of a known kind has been carried out. - The ratio of mixing silica particles of the first group and the
second group polishing layer 5 peeling off from the surface of theplastic film 1 becomes reduced. - When an end surface of an optical fiber connector is finished by polishing, for example, the mixing ratio of silica particles with the smaller average diameter with respect to those with the larger average diameter should preferably be in the range of 9:1-6:4. This is because the tip portion of optical fibers may sustain an unwanted damage or become deformed if the mixing ratio of silica particles with the larger average diameter exceeds 50%. The ratio of the particles with the larger average diameter may be less than that of the particles with the smaller average diameter.
- Polishing films according to this invention may be produced by applying a paint material including aforementioned mixed particles and a binder on the surface of a plastic film and then drying it to thereby form a polishing layer on the surface of the plastic film. Examples of the binder which may be used for the purpose of this invention include conventional polyurethane and polyester resin binders of known kinds. Methylethyl ketone may be used as its solvent. A hardening agent such as isocyanate may be added to a mixture of a resin binder and a solvent. A mixture of a resin binder and a solvent (and perhaps also a hardening agent) will be hereinafter referred to as a “resin binder solution.” The mixing ratio of the mixed particles with respect to the resin binder solution is within the range of 1:99-99:1
- Oligomers such polyurethanes and polyesters having a siloxane bond may be used conveniently to form a network of
cracks 6 on the surface of thepolishing layer 5 as shown in FIG. 1(b). Thesecracks 6 serve to take in waste materials generated during a polishing process such that the waste materials can be prevented from damaging the target surface being polished. - The invention is described next by way of test and comparison examples. A polishing film as a test example was prepared by using a mixture of silica particles of two groups with different average diameters of 0.02 μm and 0.03 μm and having a distribution curve as shown in FIG. 7 with two peaks at 0.02 μm and 0.03 μm. Explained more in detail, a liquid having silica particles with average diameter 0.02 μm dispersed therein (IPA-ST by tradename produced by Nissan Chemical Industries Corporation) (3150 g) and another liquid having silica particles with average diameter 0.03 μm dispersed therein (MA-ST-M by tradename produced by Nissan Chemical Industries Corporation) (1012.5 g) were placed inside a mixer and this mixed liquid with silica particles with different average diameters were mixed together for five minutes by stirring with ultrasonic waves. A resin binder solution comprising oligomers having siloxane bonds (KR-211 by tradename produced by Shinetsu Chemical Industries Corporation) (203.6 g) was gradually added thereafter and mixed together by stirring for five minutes with ultrasonic waves so as to uniformly disperse the mixed particles inside this resin binder solution. Next, another resin binder solution comprising oligomers having siloxane bonds (T8001 by tradename produced by JSR Corporation) (37.5 g) was gradually added and mixed together by stirring for 30 minutes with ultrasonic waves so as to uniformly disperse the mixed particles inside these resin binder solutions and to thereby obtain a paint.
- After this paint was filtered through a 1.0 μm filter, it was uniformly applied over a surface of a PET film of thickness 75 μm in an atmosphere of about 20° C. by a gravure reverse coating method, and after it was dried so as to evaporate the solvent in the resin binder, it was further subjected to a heat process in an atmosphere of 100° C. to form a polishing layer of
thickness 6 μm. In the above, the PET film was one obtained by extruding PET and polyester resin together and then subjecting the extrusion to a drawing process. In other words, use was made of a PET film with a primer processing carried out thereon. A network of cracks as shown in FIG. 1(b) was formed on the surface of this polishing layer. - For making a comparison with the test example described above, another polishing film of a comparison example was prepared, having silica particles with average diameter of 0.02 μm fixed in the same resin binder as used for the test example. FIG. 5 shows the granularity distribution of the silica particles, having a single peak at a diameter value (0.02 μm) corresponding to their average diameter 0.02 μm.
- Explained more in detail, a liquid having silica particles with average diameter 0.02 μm dispersed therein (IPA-ST by tradename produced by Nissan Chemical Industries Corporation) (4500 g) was placed inside a mixer and this mixture was stirred together for five minutes with ultrasonic waves. Next, as done for the test example, a resin binder solution comprising oligomers having siloxane bonds (KR-211 by tradename produced by Shinetsu Chemical Industries Corporation) (203.6 g) was gradually added and stirred for five minutes with ultrasonic waves so as to uniformly disperse the siloxane particles inside this resin binder solution. Next, another resin binder solution comprising oligomers having siloxane bonds (T8001 by tradename produced by JSR Corporation) (37.5 g) was gradually added and mixed together by stirring for 30 minutes with ultrasonic waves so as to uniformly disperse the mixed particles inside these resin binder solutions and to thereby obtain a paint.
- After this paint was filtered through a 1.0 μm filter, it was uniformly applied over a surface of a PET film of thickness 75 μm in an atmosphere of about 20° C. by a gravure reverse coating method, and after it was dried so as to evaporate the solvent in the resin binder, it was further subjected to a heat process in an atmosphere of 100° C. to form a polishing layer of
thickness 6 μm, as done for the text example. A similar network of cracks as shown in FIG. 1(b) was formed on the surface of this polishing layer. - As a comparison experiment, each of the polishing films of the test and comparison examples was used to finish the end surface of an
optical fiber connector 10 as shown in FIG. 4 composed of a communicationoptical glass fiber 11 penetrating and adhesively attached to azirconium ferrule 12 preliminarily roughly polished by using a polishing liquid containing diamond particles and a non-woven cloth pad. The polishing was carried out as shown in FIG. 4 by pasting a polishingfilm 15 on arotary disk 14 having anelastic pad 13 attached thereto and pressing the end surface of the optical fiber connector with a specified pressure while thedisk 14 is rotated. The comparison experiment was carried out by rotating thedisk 14 at the rate of 200 rpm and pressing each fiber optical connector at a pressure of 180 g per fiber for 4 minutes. - If a polishing film of the test example is used, as can be seen in the optical microscopic photographs shown in FIGS.2(a) and 2(b) that the resin (the dark black portions around the circular black part) spilling out from between the optical fiber (the circular black part) and the ferrule (the white part outside the circular black part) visible before the finishing is removed and the end surface is polished smoothly with a high level of precision. If a polishing film of the comparison example is used, by contrast, as can be seen in the optical microscopic photographs shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) that the resin spilled out from between the optical fiber and the ferrule and visible before the finishing process is not removed and remains visible, there being unpolished spots left and a polishing with a high level of precision was not carried out.
Claims (20)
1. A polishing film comprising:
a plastic film having a surface; and
a polishing layer formed on said surface of said plastic film, said polishing layer having a mixture of a first group of silica particles with a first average diameter and a second group of silica particles with a second average diameter fixed in a resin binder, said first average diameter and said second diameter being different from each other and both within a range of 0.001-10 μm.
2. The polishing film of claim 1 wherein said mixture has a granularity distribution curve with two peaks at two different diameter values corresponding to said first average diameter and said second average diameter.
3. The polishing film of claim 1 which polishes an end surface of an optical fiber connector and has a surface with a network of cracks, wherein said resin binder includes oligomers with siloxane bonds.
4. The polishing film of claim 3 wherein said mixture has a granularity distribution curve with two peaks at two different diameter values corresponding to said first average diameter and said second average diameter.
5. A method of producing a polishing film, said method comprising the steps of:
applying a paint on a surface of a plastic film, said paint being obtained by dispersing in a resin binder solution a mixture of a first group of silica particles with a first average diameter and a second group of silica particles with a second average diameter, said first average diameter and said second diameter being different from each other and both within a range of 0.001-10 μm; and
drying said paint to form a polishing layer on said surface of said plastic film whereby said polishing film is produced.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said mixture has a granularity distribution curve with two peaks at two different diameter values corresponding to said first average diameter and said second average diameter.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein said polishing film polishes an end surface of an optical fiber connector and has a surface with a network of cracks, and wherein said resin binder includes oligomers with siloxane bonds.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said mixture has a granularity distribution curve with two peaks at two different diameter values corresponding to said first average diameter and said second average diameter.
9. The method of claim 5 wherein said resin binder includes oligomers with siloxane bonds.
10. The method of claim 6 wherein said resin binder includes oligomers with siloxane bonds.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein said resin binder includes oligomers with siloxane bonds.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein said resin binder includes oligomers with siloxane bonds.
13. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of drying includes the step of forming a network of cracks on said polishing layer.
14. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of drying includes the step of forming a network of cracks on said polishing layer.
15. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of drying includes the step of forming a network of cracks on said polishing layer.
16. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of drying includes the step of forming a network of cracks on said polishing layer.
17. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of drying includes the step of forming a network of cracks on said polishing layer.
18. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of drying includes the step of forming a network of cracks on said polishing layer.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of drying includes the step of forming a network of cracks on said polishing layer.
20. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of drying includes the step of forming a network of cracks on said polishing layer.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2001180823 | 2001-05-14 | ||
WOPCT/JP02/04275 | 2002-04-26 | ||
PCT/JP2002/004275 WO2002092286A1 (en) | 2001-05-14 | 2002-04-26 | Abrasive film and method of producing the same |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20040058127A1 true US20040058127A1 (en) | 2004-03-25 |
Family
ID=19021179
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/329,657 Abandoned US20040058127A1 (en) | 2001-05-14 | 2002-12-23 | Polishing film and method of producing same |
US10/372,598 Expired - Lifetime US6958082B2 (en) | 2001-05-14 | 2003-02-21 | Polishing film and method of producing same |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/372,598 Expired - Lifetime US6958082B2 (en) | 2001-05-14 | 2003-02-21 | Polishing film and method of producing same |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (2) | US20040058127A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1403001A4 (en) |
JP (1) | JP3924252B2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2002092286A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10451816B2 (en) | 2015-12-08 | 2019-10-22 | Mipox Corporation | Polishing sheet equipped with nano-silica polishing particles, and polishing method and manufacturing method for optical fiber connector using polishing sheet |
Families Citing this family (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP5196709B2 (en) * | 2005-04-19 | 2013-05-15 | 株式会社荏原製作所 | Semiconductor wafer peripheral polishing apparatus and method |
US7256032B2 (en) * | 2005-12-22 | 2007-08-14 | Ab Enzymes Oy | Enzymes |
US8038750B2 (en) | 2007-07-13 | 2011-10-18 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Structured abrasive with overlayer, and method of making and using the same |
US20100221982A1 (en) * | 2009-02-27 | 2010-09-02 | Illinois Tool Works Inc. | Kit having two types of clay |
WO2016006476A1 (en) * | 2014-07-07 | 2016-01-14 | バンドー化学株式会社 | Polishing film |
WO2016027671A1 (en) * | 2014-08-21 | 2016-02-25 | バンドー化学株式会社 | Polishing film |
US11865663B2 (en) * | 2018-05-10 | 2024-01-09 | George Shuai | Optical surface polishing |
JP7197603B2 (en) * | 2018-11-13 | 2022-12-27 | 株式会社アドマテックス | Abrasive for multi-core ferrules |
Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5573816A (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1996-11-12 | Norton Company | Friction coating for film backings |
Family Cites Families (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4044185A (en) * | 1975-01-20 | 1977-08-23 | Westinghouse Electric Corporation | Decorative sheet for solid color laminates |
JP2889994B2 (en) * | 1991-01-09 | 1999-05-10 | 富士写真フイルム株式会社 | Polishing tape and method for polishing magnetic head |
JP3305557B2 (en) * | 1995-04-10 | 2002-07-22 | 大日本印刷株式会社 | Polishing tape, method for producing the same, and coating agent for the polishing tape |
US5766277A (en) * | 1996-09-20 | 1998-06-16 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Coated abrasive article and method of making same |
JP3978253B2 (en) * | 1997-04-07 | 2007-09-19 | 株式会社きもと | Polishing film for optical fiber connector and polishing method using the same |
US5942015A (en) * | 1997-09-16 | 1999-08-24 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Abrasive slurries and abrasive articles comprising multiple abrasive particle grades |
JPH11333731A (en) | 1998-05-28 | 1999-12-07 | Dainippon Printing Co Ltd | Abrasive tape, coating liquid for the abrasive tape, and manufacture of the abrasive tape |
JP2000354970A (en) * | 1999-06-15 | 2000-12-26 | Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd | Polishing body and manufacture for polishing body |
-
2002
- 2002-04-26 EP EP02722865A patent/EP1403001A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2002-04-26 JP JP2002589207A patent/JP3924252B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2002-04-26 WO PCT/JP2002/004275 patent/WO2002092286A1/en active Application Filing
- 2002-12-23 US US10/329,657 patent/US20040058127A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2003
- 2003-02-21 US US10/372,598 patent/US6958082B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5573816A (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1996-11-12 | Norton Company | Friction coating for film backings |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10451816B2 (en) | 2015-12-08 | 2019-10-22 | Mipox Corporation | Polishing sheet equipped with nano-silica polishing particles, and polishing method and manufacturing method for optical fiber connector using polishing sheet |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1403001A4 (en) | 2008-05-28 |
EP1403001A1 (en) | 2004-03-31 |
US20040005460A1 (en) | 2004-01-08 |
JP3924252B2 (en) | 2007-06-06 |
JPWO2002092286A1 (en) | 2004-08-26 |
US6958082B2 (en) | 2005-10-25 |
WO2002092286A1 (en) | 2002-11-21 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
KR100398279B1 (en) | Abrasive tape, its manufacturing method and abrasive tape application | |
US6958082B2 (en) | Polishing film and method of producing same | |
KR100778607B1 (en) | Foaming sheet for polishing and method for manufacture thereof | |
JPH0641110B2 (en) | Method of manufacturing polishing film | |
JP2008260815A (en) | Abrasive grain for polishing material, and polishing material | |
JP3279912B2 (en) | Polishing tape for optical connector ferrule end face, method for polishing optical connector ferrule end face, and polishing apparatus for optical connector ferrule end face | |
JP2002103238A (en) | Polishing film and its manufacturing method | |
JP2002224967A (en) | Abrasive film and its manufacturing method | |
JP3288529B2 (en) | Diamond polishing film for polishing end face of optical fiber connector | |
JP2002239926A (en) | Abrasive film and manufacturing method of the same | |
JPH11333732A (en) | Abrasive tape, coating liquid for the abrasive tape, and manufacture of the abrasive tape | |
JPH11333731A (en) | Abrasive tape, coating liquid for the abrasive tape, and manufacture of the abrasive tape | |
JP2002292573A (en) | Abrasive film and its manufacturing method | |
JP2002224966A (en) | Wiping film | |
JP2002239921A (en) | Abrasive film and manufacturing method of the same | |
JP2002239924A (en) | Abrasive film and manufacturing method of the same | |
JP3296245B2 (en) | How to repair matte paint | |
JP3676726B2 (en) | Abrasive tape and method for producing the same | |
JP2002254326A (en) | Abrasive tape | |
JP2003094340A (en) | Polishing medium | |
JP2002233964A (en) | Polishing medium and its manufacturing method | |
JP2002254319A (en) | Polishing medium for optical fiber end surface | |
JP2002254323A (en) | Abrasive film and manufacturing method therefor | |
JP2002233961A (en) | Polishing medium and its manufacturing method | |
JPS63229270A (en) | Manufacture of polishing tape |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: NTT ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., JAPAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:YAMAZAKI, TORU;BABA, TETSUYA;MURATA, OSAMU;REEL/FRAME:013621/0224;SIGNING DATES FROM 20021209 TO 20021213 Owner name: NIHON MOCROCOATING CO., LTD., JAPAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:YAMAZAKI, TORU;BABA, TETSUYA;MURATA, OSAMU;REEL/FRAME:013621/0224;SIGNING DATES FROM 20021209 TO 20021213 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |