Abstract: A process for preparing optical fiber cladding solutions starting with a monomer having the formulaCH.sub.2 .dbd.C(R)COOCHXYwhereR is H or methyl;X is H or CF.sub.3,Y is H or CF.sub.3 provided that when X is H, Y is --CF.sub.3, --CF(CF.sub.3)OCF.sub.2 CF(CF.sub.3)OC.sub.4 F.sub.9 or --(CF.sub.2).sub.n Z,Z is F or H; andn is 1 to 8.The monomers are subjected to UV light at about 1-400 nm for one to four hours until a cladding solution of desired viscosity is obtained.

Abstract: Curable optical fiber cladding compositions that exhibit improved optical, mechanical, adhesive and moisture barrier properties are prepared from a 100% reactive composition of monofunctional and multi-functional monomers. The preferred components of these compositions are low molecular weight polymers of fluorine-containing monofunctional acrylate or methacrylate monomer(s), such polymers being soluble and dissolved in a fluorocarbon acrylate or methacrylate monomer or monomers, but not necessarily those of the base polymer. The preferred cladding compositions may be prepared with or without a cross-linking monomer such as a di-functional or poly-functional acrylate of methacrylate. The claddings may also use a thermal or photoinitiator or other known polymerization initiating system and an adhesion promoter or promoters, such as acrylic or methacrylic acid, a silanol acrylate, methacrylate, alkoxysilane acrylate or methacrylate, or an alkoxy vinyl silane, aryl acrylate or methacrylate.