Transparent, Radiation Hard, Low Refractive Index Polymers

THERE IS A GREAT NEED FOR POLYMERS OPTICAL FIBER CLADDING MATERIALS WITH THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS: A) LOW REFRACTIVE INDEX, B) TRANSPARENT, C) LOW TEMPERATURE PROCESSING, D) OPTICAL RADIATION HARDNESS THE OBJECT OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO SYNTHESIZE HOMOPOLYMER SMALL BATCHES OF FLUORINATED METHACRYLATE AND COPOLYMERS, TO CHARACTERIZE THE PERFORMANCE OF THESE POLYMERS AND TO SELECT ONE POLYMER SCALE UP. INITIAL SYNTHESE WILL BE VIA BULK POLYMERIZATION TECHNIQUE FOR THE SYNTHESIS. PHASE I OF THIS RESULT WILL RESULT IN THE ABILITY OF OUR COMPANY TO PROVIDE PILOT SCALE BATCHES OF NOVEL CLADDING MATERIAL TO THE GROWING NUMBER OF PLASTIC OPTICAL FIBER (POF) MANUFACTURERS IN THE U.S. THERE IS NO SUCH MATERIAL AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. AT THIS TIME. JAPAN CURRENTLY OFFERS FLUOROCARBON CLADDING MATERIALS AT EXORBITANT PRICES. THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED HERE IS OF COMMERICAL BENEFIT TO COMPANIES WHICH SUPPLY MONOMERS AND COMPANIES (OPTICAL POLYMER RESEARCH, INC.) WHICH SYNTHESIZE CLADDING POLYMERS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS PROJECT WILL ASSIST THE U.S. IN REMAINING A LEADING COMPETITOR IN THE AREA OF OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS.