Abstract: Coating compositions, and methods for depositing them on the surface of an article to produce an antireflection coating, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the coating composition includes a (meth)acrylate-functional silicon alkoxide, silica particles, a (meth)acrylate monomer, an epoxy (meth)acrylate oligomer, a photoinitiator, a solvent, an acid, and water. The relative amounts of these constituents are controlled such that, when the coating composition is deposited onto the surface of an article and cured, it has a refractive index less than about 1.60 at a wavelength of 510 nm. In another embodiment, the coating composition includes an organo-metallic compound other than an organo-metallic compound of silicon, an epoxy-functional silicon alkoxide, a non-epoxy-functional silicon alkoxide, a curing agent compatible with epoxy-functional molecules, a solvent, an inorganic acid, and water.

Abstract: Coating compositions, and methods for depositing them on the surface of an article to produce an antireflection coating, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the coating composition includes a (meth)acrylate-functional silicon alkoxide, silica particles, a (meth)acrylate monomer, an epoxy (meth)acrylate oligomer, a photoinitiator, a solvent, an acid, and water. The relative amounts of these constituents are controlled such that, when the coating composition is deposited onto the surface of an article and cured, it has a refractive index less than about 1.60 at a wavelength of 510 nm. In another embodiment, the coating composition includes an organo-metallic compound other than an organo-metallic compound of silicon, an epoxy-functional silicon alkoxide, a non-epoxy-functional silicon alkoxide, a curing agent compatible with epoxy-functional molecules, a solvent, an inorganic acid, and water.

Abstract: An encapsulant is described for an optoelectronic device or optical component, which provides a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 50 ppm/° C., with a variation of less than ±30%, and further provides an optical transmittance of at least 20% at a wavelength in the range of 400 to 900 nm, at an encapsulant thickness of about 1 mm. The encapsulant includes a filler consisting essentially of glass particles having diameters smaller than 500 ?m, being essentially free of titania and lead oxide, and having a refractive index in the range of 1.48 to 1.60, with a variance of less than about 0.001.

Abstract: A process including forming a siloxane oligomer from a mixture including at least one alkoxysilane, at least one phase transfer catalyst, and water, and adding at least one latent curing catalyst to the siloxane oligomer to form a coating composition is described. Also described is a process for producing a rapidly cured abrasion resistant coating, including providing a coating composition including a siloxane oligomer and a thermal latent curing catalyst, applying the coating composition to an article, and curing the coating composition for less than about 10 minutes to form a coating that has a Bayer ratio of abrasion resistance of at least about 2.0. A coating composition including at least one siloxane oligomer, at least one phase transfer catalyst, and at least one latent curing catalyst is also described.

Abstract: A process for forming a siloxane oligomer from a mixture comprising at least one alkoxysilane, at least one phase transfer catalyst having a specified structure, and water is described.

Abstract: Coating compositions, and methods for depositing them on the surface of an article to produce an antireflection coating, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the coating composition includes a (meth)acrylate-functional silicon alkoxide, silica particles, a (meth)acrylate monomer, an epoxy(meth)acrylate oligomer, a photoinitiator, a solvent, an acid, and water. The relative amounts of these constituents are controlled such that, when the coating composition is deposited onto the surface of an article and cured, it has a refractive index less than about 1.60 at a wavelength of 510 nm. In another embodiment, the coating composition includes an organo-metallic compound other than an organo-metallic compound of silicon, an epoxy-functional silicon alkoxide, a non-epoxy-functional silicon alkoxide, a curing agent compatible with epoxy-functional molecules, a solvent, an inorganic acid, and water.

Abstract: An encapsulant is described for an optoelectronic device or optical component, which provides a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 50 ppm/° C., with a variation of less than ±30%, and further provides an optical transmittance of at least 20% at a wavelength in the range of 400 to 900 nm, at an encapsulant thickness of about 1 mm. The encapsulant includes a filler consisting essentially of glass particles having diameters smaller than 500 ?m, being essentially free of titania and lead oxide, and having a refractive index in the range of 1.48 to 1.60, with a variance of less than about 0.001.

Abstract: An encapsulant for use with opto-electronic devices and optical components incorporates a filler made from a glass that has been processed into particle form and heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, along with an epoxy having an index of refraction matched to that of the glass and heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, to prevent settling of the filler particles after mixing the filler particles with the epoxy, and thereby obtaining uniform dispersion of the particles within the epoxy. The encapsulant provides for high light transmittance, and its coefficient of thermal expansion can be varied by varying the amount of filler without substantially altering the optical properties of the encapsulant. The coefficient of thermal expansion variation within the encapsulant preferably is less than 30%, due to uniform dispersion of the filler particles within the epoxy.

Abstract: A process including forming a siloxane oligomer from a mixture including at least one alkoxysilane, at least one phase transfer catalyst, and water, and adding at least one latent curing catalyst to the siloxane oligomer to form a coating composition is described. Also described is a process for producing a rapidly cured abrasion resistant coating, including providing a coating composition including a siloxane oligomer and a thermal latent curing catalyst, applying the coating composition to an article, and curing the coating composition for less than about 10 minutes to form a coating that has a Bayer ratio of abrasion resistance of at least about 2.0. A coating composition including at least one siloxane oligomer, at least one phase transfer catalyst, and at least one latent curing catalyst is also described.

Abstract: A process for forming a siloxane oligomer from a mixture comprising at least one alkoxysilane, at least one phase transfer catalyst having a specified structure, and water is described.

Abstract: An encapsulant is described for an optoelectronic device or optical component, which provides a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 50 ppm/° C., with a variation of less than ±30%, and further provides an optical transmittance of at least 20% at a wavelength in the range of 400 to 900 nm, at an encapsulant thickness of about 1 mm. The encapsulant includes a filler consisting essentially of glass particles having diameters smaller than 500 ?m, being essentially free of titania and lead oxide, and having a refractive index in the range of 1.48 to 1.60, with a variance of less than about 0.001.

Abstract: An encapsulant is described for an optoelectronic device or optical component, which provides a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 50 ppm/° C., with a variation of less than ±30%, and further provides an optical transmittance of at least 20% at a wavelength in the range of 400 to 900 nm, at an encapsulant thickness of about 1 mm. The encapsulant includes a filler consisting essentially of glass particles having diameters smaller than 500 ?m, being essentially free of titania and lead oxide, and having a refractive index in the range of 1.48 to 1.60, with a variance of less than about 0.001.

Abstract: An improved abrasion-resistant, antistatic, antireflective transparent coating, and a method for making it, are described. The coating includes a hard coat underlayer and an antistatic, antireflective overlayer, wherein the overlayer consists essentially of hydrolyzed silica and silica particles having a size less than 1000 nm and a concentration in the range of 0.00015 to 0.01 mg/cm2. The antistatic, antireflective overlayer is made using a sol-gel method including steps of (1) preparing a sol-gel solution comprising a hydrolyzed organo-metallic compound of silicon and silica particles, (2) modifying the outer surface of the hard coat layer, (3) depositing the sol-gel solution onto the modified outer surface of the hard coat layer, and (4) thermally treating the article in an atmosphere having a controlled humidity, wherein the partial pressure of the water, PH2O, expressed in units of kPa, satisfies the following inequality: PH2O?0.09+0.05T where T is temperature, in degrees C.

Abstract: An encapsulant for use with opto-electronic devices and optical components incorporates a filler made from a glass that has been processed into particle form and heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, along with an epoxy having an index of refraction matched to that of the glass and heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, to prevent settling of the filler particles after mixing the filler particles with the epoxy, and thereby obtaining uniform dispersion of the particles within the epoxy. The encapsulant provides for high light transmittance, and its coefficient of thermal expansion can be varied by varying the amount of filler without substantially altering the optical properties of the encapsulant. The coefficient of thermal expansion variation within the encapsulant preferably is less than 30%, due to uniform dispersion of the filler particles within the epoxy.

Abstract: This invention resides in an apparatus and related method for rapidly curing thin film sol-gel coatings, particularly such coatings adhered to low melting temperature plastic substrates, whether rigid or flexible, without deforming the substrate. The curing is achieved using IR heating lamps and dry or humid hot gas flow. This curing densities the sol-gel coating and provides desired optical and mechanical properties. The use of IR lamps and hot-gas nozzles, either singularly or in combination, produces a rapid cure by effectively heating the thin film coating layer. In this manner, a sufficiently high temperature can be attained in the film layer, to densify the sol-gel coating, but for a sufficiently short time duration to avoid melting or otherwise deforming the substrate. The sol-gel coatings can be cured two to three orders of magnitude faster than with conventional oven curing, leading to significant cost reductions and manufacturing efficiency.

Abstract: An encapsulant for use with opto-electronic devices and optical components incorporates a filler made from a glass that has been processed into particle form and heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, along with an epoxy having an index of refraction matched to that of the glass and heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, to prevent settling of the filler particles after mixing the filler particles with the epoxy, and thereby obtaining uniform dispersion of the particles within the epoxy. The encapsulant provides for high light transmittance, and its coefficient of thermal expansion can be varied by varying the amount of filler without substantially altering the optical properties of the encapsulant. The coefficient of thermal expansion variation within the encapsulant preferably is less than 30%, due to uniform dispersion of the filler particles within the epoxy.

Abstract: An encapsulant for use with opto-electronic devices and optical components incorporates a filler made from a glass that has been processed into particle form and heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, along with an epoxy having an index of refraction matched to that of the glass and heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, to prevent settling of the filler particles after mixing the filler particles with the epoxy, and thereby obtaining uniform dispersion of the particles within the epoxy. The encapsulant provides for high light transmittance, and its coefficient of thermal expansion can be varied by varying the amount of filler without substantially altering the optical properties of the encapsulant. The coefficient of thermal expansion variation within the encapsulant preferably is less than 30%, due to uniform dispersion of the filler particles within the epoxy.

Abstract: A process is suited for producing cylindrical silica glass bodies having refractive index gradients. The process involves providing a cylindrical porous body having an initially uniform dopant distribution, heating the porous body in a halogen-containing atmosphere to produce a dopant gradient sufficient to produce a reduction in &Dgr;n of at least 20% from the center of the body to 90% of the distance from the edge of the body, and completely densifying the porous body at an elevated temperature to produce the glass body. The process is more cost-effective than those previously known, and allows for high reproducibility of the refractive index gradients of the bodies produced.

Abstract: This invention resides in an apparatus and related method for rapidly curing thin film sol-gel coatings, particularly such coatings adhered to low melting temperature plastic substrates, whether rigid or flexible, without deforming the substrate. The curing is achieved using IR heating lamps and dry or humid hot gas flow. This curing densities the sol-gel coating and provides desired optical and mechanical properties. The use of IR lamps and hot-gas nozzles, either singularly or in combination, produces a rapid cure by effectively heating the thin film coating layer. In this manner, a sufficiently high temperature can be attained in the film layer, to densify the sol-gel coating, but for a sufficiently short time duration to avoid melting or otherwise deforming the substrate. The sol-gel coatings can be cured two to three orders of magnitude faster than with conventional oven curing, leading to significant cost reductions and manufacturing efficiency.

Abstract: An improved apparatus, and related method of operation, is described for rapidly drying large monoliths of glass, ceramic and/or composite material, under subcritical conditions, while minimizing the risk of cracking the monolith during the drying process. The apparatus incorporates a pressure chamber for carrying the monolith to be dried, with no significant limitation on the size of the monolith relative to the size of the chamber. The monolith is initially immersed in a suitable drying solvent, and the temperature of the pressure chamber is raised to a predetermined value below the solvent's critical temperature, which raises the pressure to a predetermined value, likewise below the solvent's critical pressure. At a selected time during the drying process the pressure chamber is connected to a diffusion chamber, to draw away and condense solvent vapor.