POLYMER OPTICAL FIBER
Polymer optical fibers (POFs) including a polyamide core are described herein. The polyamide cores generally include one or more nylon polymers and are microcrystalline. The described POFs can have an operating temperature exceeding 150° C. and a calculated numerical aperture of 0.6 or greater.
1 . A polymer optical fiber (POF) comprising:
a core comprising one or more polyamides; and
a cladding comprising one or more fluoropolymers,
wherein the POF has an operating temperature exceeding 150° C. and a calculated numerical aperture (NA) of 0.6 or greater.
2 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyamides comprise a microcrystalline polyamide.
3 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyamides consist essentially of a microcrystalline polyamide.
4 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyamides comprise a transparent polyamide.
5 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyamides consist essentially of a transparent polyamide.
6 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyamides comprise a nylon.
7 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyamides consist essentially of a nylon.
8 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyamides comprise a polymer comprising cycloaliphatic diamine and 1,12-dodecanedioic acid monomers.
9 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyamides consist essentially of a polymer comprising cycloaliphatic diamine and 1,12-dodecanedioic acid monomers.
10 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyamides comprise TROGAMID® CX polyamide.
11 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polyamides consist essentially of TROGAMID® CX polyamide.
12 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the core consists essentially of the one or more polyamides.
13 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the core further comprises one or more additives.
14 . The POF of claim 13 , wherein the one or more additives comprise a refractive index-modifying agent.
15 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fluoropolymers are selected from the group consisting of poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) (FEP), EFEP (a terpolymer comprising ethylene, tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), and hexafluoropropylene (HFP) monomers), polytetrafluoroethylene-alt-ethylene (ETFE), copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoromethyl vinyl ether (MFA), copolymers of perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) (PFE), and copolymers, combinations, and derivatives thereof.
16 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the cladding consists essentially of the fluoropolymeric material.
17 . The POF of claim 1 , wherein the cladding further comprises one or more additives.
18 . The POF of claim 1 , consisting essentially of the core and the cladding.
19 . A method of making the POF of claim 1 , comprising extruding the cladding over the core.
20 . A method of making the POF of claim 1 , comprising applying the cladding over the core and heat shrinking the cladding onto the core.