Abstract: Optical fibers are required to withstand high stresses associated with bending. These bends often occur during exposure to high-moisture environments in medical applications. Various polymeric coatings were developed to provide fiber protection. Three coatings on silica fibers were evaluated: acrylates, hard fluoropolymers, and polyimides. The evaluation included dynamic strength and static fatigue. In general, all three coatings produced strong fibers, but the acrylate and hard fluoropolymer provided superior protection. Also a strength dependence on fiber size was demonstrated. The polyimide fiber showed the highest static fatigue resistance with hard fluoropolymers outperforming acrylates. However, the poor abrasion resistance and toughness of the polyimide coatings can degrade both the dynamic and the static fatigue properties of the fiber.!
展开▼
