Abstract: The disclosed coated optical fiber includes a core surrounded by a cladding. At least a segment of the fiber is coated with a photopolymerizable coating composition. The photopolymerizable coating composition is a mixture of at least about 60% of a first polyurethane acrylate coating having a Young's modulus of at least about 400 MPa and about 5-40% of a second polyurethane coating having a Young's modulus of no more than about 50 MPa. The invention further includes a method of making the coated optical fiber. The method includes the steps of blending the photopolymerizable coating composition as recited above and splicing an end section of a first optical fiber having a core and a cladding to an end section of a second optical fiber having a core and a cladding, thereby forming a resultant optical fiber.

Abstract: The disclosed coated optical fiber includes a core surrounded by a cladding. At least a segment of the fiber is coated with a photopolymerizable coating composition. The photopolymerizable coating composition is a mixture of at least about 60% of a first polyurethane acrylate coating having a Young's modulus of at least about 400 MPa and about 5-40% of a second polyurethane coating having a Young's modulus of no more than about 50 MPa. The invention further includes a method of making the coated optical fiber. The method includes the steps of blending the photopolymerizable coating composition as recited above and splicing an end section of a first optical fiber having a core and a cladding to an end section of a second optical fiber having a core and a cladding, thereby forming a resultant optical fiber.