Thermomechanics and Thermophysics of Optical Fiber Polymer Coating

The viscoelastic properties of ultraviolet radiation-curable polymer coatings of optical fibers were studied experimentally and numerically. The test setup was completed, and a series of natural experiments were conducted for an extended temperature range from -110 °C to +120 °C using a dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA). Discrete dependencies of the complex modulus on temperature and frequency of kinematic loading were obtained. The problem of multiparametric optimization was solved. Defining relations were obtained for protective coating polymers, making it possible to describe the thermomechanical behavior of the glass-forming materials under consideration in a wide temperature range, including relaxation transition. The optimal solution was found for 18 series terms at the selected reference temperature <i>T</i>_r = -70 °C, <i>C</i>₁ = 20.036, and <i>C</i>₂ = 32.666 for the DeSolite 3471-1-152A material. The optimal solution was found for 60 series terms at the selected reference temperature <i>T</i>_r = 0 °C, <i>C</i>₁ = 40,242.2827, and <i>C</i>₂ = 267,448.888 for the DeSolite DS-2015 material. The models were verified according to the data of creep experiments. The capabilities of the viscoelastic model were demonstrated by the example of a numerical experiment on free thermal heating/cooling of a Panda-type optical fiber.