Monomers and polymers for optical elements

1. An optical element comprising:

a first transparent layer and a second transparent layer; and

a cured polymer layer sandwiched between the first and second transparent layers, wherein, prior to curing, the polymer layer comprises a matrix polymer having a monomer mixture dispersed therein, wherein the matrix polymer is the product of a chemical reaction between at least a thiol monomer, a crosslinking agent, and a polymer, wherein the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneimine and tetraalkyl ammonium halide, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of unsaturated polyester, unsaturated polystyrene, unsaturated polyacrylate, epoxy polymer, isocyanate polymer, and mixtures thereof, and wherein the monomer mixture comprises a thiol monomer and at least one second monomer selected from the group consisting of ene monomer and yne monomer.

2. The optical element of claim 1 in which the thiol monomer is multifunctional.

3. The optical element of claim 1 in which the second monomer is multifunctional.

4. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the matrix polymer further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of photoinitiator, polymerization inhibitor, antioxidant, photochromic dye, and UV-absorber.

5. The optical element of claim 1 wherein the matrix polymer is provided in the form of a film.

6. The optical element of claim 5 in which the film is protected by a coating.

7. An optical element, comprising:

a first lens;

a cover; and

a cured matrix polymer sandwiched between the first lens and the cover, the matrix polymer, prior to curing, having a polymer, a crosslinking agent, and a monomer mixture dispersed therein, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of unsaturated polyester, unsaturated polystyrene, unsaturated polyacrylate, epoxy polymer, isocyanate polymer, and mixtures thereof, wherein the monomer mixture comprises a thiol monomer and at least one second monomer selected from the group consisting of ene monomer and yne monomer, and wherein the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneimine and tetraalkyl ammonium halide.

8. The optical element of claim 7 in which the cover is a second lens.

9. The optical element of claim 7 in which the first lens is a lens blank.

10. The optical element of claim 7 in which the matrix polymer comprises an amount of a polymerization inhibitor that is effective to at least partially inhibit polymerization of the monomer mixture.

11. An optical element, comprising:

a first lens;

a cover; and

a cured polymer mixture sandwiched between the first lens and the cover, the polymer mixture comprising a first polymer, a crosslinking agent, and a second polymer, wherein the first polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polystyrene, polyacrylate, thiol cured epoxy polymer, thiol cured-isocyanate polymer, and mixtures thereof, wherein the second polymer is selected from the group consisting of thiol-ene polymer and thiol-yne polymer, and wherein the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneimine and tetraalkyl ammonium halide.

12. The optical element of claim 11 in which the cover is a second lens.

13. The optical element of claim 11 in which the cover is a coating.

14. The optical element of claim 11 in which the first lens is a lens blank.

15. The optical element of claim 1 in which the polymer mixture comprises at least one region in which the first polymer has a first refractive index and the second polymer has a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index.

16. The optical element of claim 15 in which the polymer mixture comprises at least one additional region in which the second polymer has a refractive index that is different from the second refractive index.