Strippable radiation-cured coatings for optical fiber and method

摘要

Radiation-curable coating compositions particularly adapted to reduce the adhesion of the radiation-cured coatings to glass optical fibers (and thereby enhance strippability) are disclosed. These comprise a radiation- curable polyethylenic organic compound and from about 2% to about 20% of the coating composition of an organic polysiloxane carrying a plurality of hydroxy-terminated groups which are joined to some of the silicon atoms in the polysiloxane chain by a carbon-to-silicon bond. The polysiloxane reduces the adhesion of the radiation-cured coating to the glass surface of the fiber. Ultraviolet cures using acrylates as the ethylenic group are preferred.