Abstract: The invention provides an optical fiber coated with a Supercoating, wherein the Supercoating comprises at least two layers, wherein the first layer is a Primary Coating that is in contact with the outer surface of the optical fiber and the second layer is a Secondary Coating in contact with the outer surface of the Primary Coating, wherein the cured Primary Coating on the optical fiber has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85° C. and 85% relative humidity: A) a % RAU of from about 84% to about 99%; B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.15 MPa and about 0.60 MPa; and C) a Tube Tg, of from about ?25° C. to about ?55° C.; wherein the cured Secondary Coating on the optical fiber has the following properties after initial cure and after one month aging at 85° C. and 85% relative humidity: A) a % RAU of from about 80% to about 98%; B) an in-situ modulus of between about 0.60 GPa and about 1.90 GPa; and C) a Tube Tg, of from about 50° C. to about 80° C.

Abstract: Radiation curable coatings for use as a Primary Coating for optical fibers, optical fibers coated with said coatings and processes to coat the optical fiber are described and claimed. The radiation curable coating is a radiation curable Primary Coating composition comprising: an oligomer; a first diluent monomer; a second diluent monomer, a photoinitiator; an antioxidant; and an adhesion promoter; wherein said oligomer is the reaction product of: a hydroxyethyl acrylate; an aromatic isocyanate; an aliphatic isocyanate; a polyol; a catalyst; and an inhibitor, and wherein said oligomer has a number average molecular weight of from at least about 4000 g/mol to less than or equal to about 15,000 g/mol; wherein a cured film of said radiation curable primary coating composition has a peak tan delta Tg of from about ?25° C. to about ?45° C. and a modulus of from about 0.50 MPa to about 1.2 MPa.

Abstract: Radiation curable coatings for use as a Primary Coating for optical fibers, optical fibers coated with said coatings and processes for coating optical fibers.

Abstract: Radiation curable coatings for use as a Primary Coating for optical fibers, optical fibers coated with said coatings and methods for the preparation of coated optical fibers. A radiation curable Primary Coating composition comprising: an oligomer; a diluent monomer; a photoinitiator; an antioxidant; and an adhesion promoter; wherein said oligomer is the reaction product of: a hydroxyethyl acrylate; an aromatic isocyanate; an aliphatic isocyanate; a polyol; a catalyst; and an inhibitor, wherein said catalyst is an organo bismuth catalyst; wherein said oligomer has a number average molecular weight of from at least about 4000 g/mol to less than or equal to about 15,000 g/mol; and wherein a cured film of said radiation curable coating composition has a peak tan delta Tg of from about ?25° C. to about ?45° C.; and a modulus of from about 0.50 MPa to about 1.2 MPa.

Abstract: Radiation curable coatings for use as a Primary Coating for optical fibers, optical fibers coated with said coatings and methods for the preparation of coated optical fibers.

Abstract: Radiation curable coatings for use as a Primary Coating for optical fibers, optical fibers coated with said coatings and methods for the preparation of coated optical fibers. The radiation curable coating comprises at least one (meth)acrylate functional oligomer and a photoinitiator, wherein the urethane-(meth)acrylate oligomer CA/CR comprises (meth)acrylate groups, at least one polyol backbone and urethane groups, wherein about 15% or more of the urethane groups are derived from one or both of 2,4- and 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, wherein at least 15% of the urethane groups are derived from a cyclic or branched aliphatic isocyanate, and wherein said (meth)acrylate functional oligomer has a number average molecular weight of from at least about 4000 g/mol to less than or equal to about 15,000 g/mol; and wherein a cured film of the radiation curable Primary Coating composition has a modulus of less than or equal to about 1.2 MPa.

Abstract: Radiation curable compositions suitable for use a optical fiber ribbon matrix materials are provided which have at least two non-silicone urethane(meth)acrylate oligomers, one or more multifunctional diluents and one or more photoinitiators, wherein each of the non-silicone urethane(meth)acrylate oligomers has a number average molecular weight of about 200 or more, but less than about 6000, and the polydispersity index (PDI) of the urethane(meth)acrylate oligomers is from 2:1 to 30:1. The matrix material may be coated and cured on a plurality of optical fibers so as to form an optical fiber ribbon assembly.

Abstract: An optical fiber comprising a flame retardant UV light-curable tight-buffer coating coated onto the fiber, wherein said tight-buffer coating is substantially halogen-free, and has a limiting oxygen index of at least about 22%, and wherein said tight-buffer coating is removable from said fiber with a strip-force of less than about 1800 grams when the fiber is upjacketed with said coating at a line speed of at least 300 m/min.

Abstract: An optical fiber comprises a flame retardant tight-buffer coating. The tight-buffer coating has a limiting oxygen index of at least 20% and preferably has a durable tensile strength. Flame retardant, inner primary, outer primary, ink, ink base and single coatings and coating compositions as well as flame-retardant matrix materials are also provided.

Abstract: A radiation-curable composition for an ink base, ink composition, outer primary composition, buffering material or matrix material for fiber optics includes, in the uncured state, a secondary amino or tertiary amino silicone-containing additive.

Abstract: A radiation-curable composition for an ink base, ink composition, outer primary composition, buffering material or matrix material for fiber optics includes, in the uncured state, a secondary amino or tertiary amino silicone-containing additive.

Abstract: An optical fiber comprises a flame retardant tight-buffer coating. The tight-buffer coating has a limiting oxygen index of at least 20% and preferably has a durable tensile strength. Flame retardant, inner primary, outer primary, ink, ink base and single coatings and coating compositions as well as flame-retardant matrix materials are also provided.

Abstract: A radiation-curable composition for an ink base, ink composition, outer primary composition, buffering material or matrix material for fiber optics includes, in the uncured state, a secondary amino or tertiary amino silicone-containing additive.

Abstract: Provided is a ribbon assembly containing a plurality of coated optical glass fibers and a matrix material which binds the plurality of coated optical glass fibers together. At least one of the coated optical glass fibers contains an ink coating or colored outer primary coating. At least one of the ink coating, the colored outer primary coating, or the matrix material contains a phospholipid.

Abstract: Radiation-curable compositions, having high elongation at break and toughness after cure can include the following pre-mixture components: a) a polymer, oligomer or monomer having at least one (meth)acrylate functional group; b) an oligomer or monomer, exclusive of (meth)acrylate functional groups, having an ethylenically unsaturated functional group; and c) an elongation promoter; wherein the composition, after radiation-cure, has an elongation at break of at least about 200%. Glass substrates and optical fibers are coated with the radiation-curable composition. Monofilament fiber or a plurality of fiber filaments, such as sewing thread, are coated with the radiation-curable binder composition, which after cure, demonstrates high elongation at break.

Abstract: Provided is a ribbon assembly having the functional capability of providing break-out of ink coated or colored outer primary coated optical glass fibers from the ribbon assembly. The ink coating or colored outer primary coating is formulated from a benzophenone compound and at least about 1 wt. % of a homolytic photoinitiator to provide a level of adhesion between the ink coating or colored outer primary coating and matrix material which is less than the level of adhesion between the ink coating or colored outer primary coating and an adjacent underlying coating. Also provided are ink coating and colored outer primary coating compositions adapted to form ink coatings and colored outer primary coatings suitable for use on optical glass fibers contained in a ribbon assembly.

Abstract: Provided is a ribbon assembly having the functional capability of providing break-out of ink coated optical glass fibers from said ribbon assembly. The monomers, oligomers and photoinitiator for forming an ink coating on the optical glass fibers contained in the ribbon assembly have been selected to provide an average percentage of reacted acrylate unsaturation which provides a level of adhesion between a matrix material and an ink coating that is less than a level of adhesion between the ink coating and the coated optical glass fiber to provide break-out of the ink coated optical glass fiber from said ribbon assembly. Also provided are ink coating compositions adapted to form ink coatings suitable for use on optical glass fibers contained in the ribbon assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a solvent-free radiation curable, optical glass fiber coating composition containing:a) a urethane oligomer having a functional group capable of polymerization in the presence of actinic radiation, with an average functionality of at least about 1.2, having a vinyl addition polymer as backbone.b) a urethane compound having a functional group capable of polymerization in the presence of actinic radiation, with an average functionality of at least about 1, containing an organic moiety having about 5 or more carbon atoms as backbone.c) a reactive diluent.Furthermore, the invention relates to a solvent-free method for producing a solvent-free, radiation curable urethane oligomer composition.

Abstract: Provided is a ribbon assembly having the functional capability of providing mid-span access without the use of additives, monomers or oligomers containing fluorine or silicone. The ribbon assembly is formulated from an oligomer which reduces the surface energy of the ink coating and/or the matrix material.

Abstract: Provided is radiation-curable ink composition containing a radiation-curable carrier system containing at least one radiation-curable monomer or oligomer and at least one pigment dispersed in the radiation-curable carrier system in an amount sufficient to provide a color which is visible without magnification. The pigment is substantially insoluble in the radiation-curable carrier system whereby the particulate shape of the pigment is substantially retained in the radiation-curable carrier system. The pigment having a particle size that substantially avoids pigment induced microbending of an optical glass fiber coated with the ink coating.