Abstract: There is provided a radiation-curable coating composition containing oligomers that each have two end groups X1 and X2, wherein the end groups X1 and X2, which may be the same or different, are a photoinitiator group or an adhesion promoter group. The coating composition may exclude the presence of non-reactive photoinitiator groups and non-reactive adhesion promoter groups, each of which would fail to covalently bond itself to an oligomer backbone.

Abstract: A composition for coating an optical waveguide, more specifically, an optical fiber, and optical fibers coated therewith. The coating composition is a radiation curable composition including an aliphatic epoxide, a urethane acrylate oligomer, a reactive diluent, and cationic and free-radical photoinitiators. The cationic photoinitiator acts upon the aliphatic epoxide while the free-radial photoinitiator acts upon the urethane acrylate oligomer. The resulting cured coating forms an interpenetrated polymer network. The properties of coatings in accordance with the invention including the glass transition temperature thereof, can be tailored to achieve advantageous coatings suitable for use as primary coatings and secondary coatings for an optical fiber.

Abstract: There is provided a radiation-curable coating composition containing oligomers that each have two end groups X1 and X2, wherein the end groups X1 and X2, which may be the same or different, are a photoinitiator group or an adhesion promoter group. The coating composition may exclude the presence of non-reactive photoinitiator groups and non-reactive adhesion promoter groups, each of which would fail to covalently bond itself to an oligomer backbone.