A method of forming a metallized mirror coating on a light diffusing optical fiber (110) includes contacting an end face (118) of a second end (114) of a light diffusing optical fiber (110) with a metallized mirror precursor. The light diffusing optical fiber (110) includes a first end (112) opposite the second end (114), a core (120), a polymer cladding (122) surrounding the core (120) and coplanar with the core at the end face (118) of the second end (114), an outer surface (128), and a plurality of scattering structures (125) positioned within the core (120), the polymer cladding (122), or both, that are configured to scatter guided light toward the outer surface (128) of the light diffusing optical fiber (110). The method also includes heating the metallized mirror precursor such that the metallized mirror precursor bonds to the core (120) and the polymer cladding (122) at the end face (118) of the second end (114) thereby forming a metallized mirror coating on the end face (118) of the second end (114).

A method of forming a metallized mirror coating on a light diffusing optical fiber (110) includes contacting an end face (118) of a second end (114) of a light diffusing optical fiber (110) with a metallized mirror precursor. The light diffusing optical fiber (110) includes a first end (112) opposite the second end (114), a core (120), a polymer cladding (122) surrounding the core (120) and coplanar with the core at the end face (118) of the second end (114), an outer surface (128), and a plurality of scattering structures (125) positioned within the core (120), the polymer cladding (122), or both, that are configured to scatter guided light toward the outer surface (128) of the light diffusing optical fiber (110). The method also includes heating the metallized mirror precursor such that the metallized mirror precursor bonds to the core (120) and the polymer cladding (122) at the end face (118) of the second end (114) thereby forming a metallized mirror coating on the end face (118) of the second end (114).

Described herein is a compact polyurethane having a density of ≥850 g/l, obtainable by reacting at least the components: i) a polyisocyanate composition; and ii) a polyol composition, including at least one polyether polyol (ii.1) which is obtainable by reacting ii.1.1) a polyol starter with a functionality of 3 to 6 with ii.1.2) propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide, in the presence of a boron-based, fluorine-containing Lewis acid catalyst (ii.1.3), where the polyether polyol (ii.1) has an equivalent molecular weight of 50 to 150 g/mol, and ii.1.4) optionally further auxiliaries and/or additives.

Also described herein are a process for producing such a compact polyurethane and compact polyurethanes obtainable by this process. Also described herein is a method of using such a compact polyurethane for the production of a fiber composite. Also described herein are a corresponding fiber composite material and a process for producing such a fiber composite.

Described herein is a compact polyurethane having a density of ≥850 g/l, obtainable by reacting at least the components: i) a polyisocyanate composition; and ii) a polyol composition, including at least one polyether polyol (ii.1) which is obtainable by reacting ii.1.1) a polyol starter with a functionality of 3 to 6 with ii.1.2) propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide, in the presence of a boron-based, fluorine-containing Lewis acid catalyst (ii.1.3), where the polyether polyol (ii.1) has an equivalent molecular weight of 50 to 150 g/mol, and ii.1.4) optionally further auxiliaries and/or additives.

Also described herein are a process for producing such a compact polyurethane and compact polyurethanes obtainable by this process. Also described herein is a method of using such a compact polyurethane for the production of a fiber composite. Also described herein are a corresponding fiber composite material and a process for producing such a fiber composite.

Provided is a method for manufacturing an aerogel blanket having improved processability by reducing manufacturing time and cost, the method including the steps of mixing a precursor material, an acid catalyst and a hydrous alcohol to prepare a sol, depositing a substrate in the sol, and reacting with a gaseous silazane-based compound to form a gel and to perform aging and surface modification reaction simultaneously to form a wet gel blanket, and drying the wet gel blanket to manufacture an aerogel blanket.

A method for preparing optical fibers formed with high-particle-coated porous polymeric outer coating layer is provided. The method includes preparing a coating suspension solution by dispersing a plurality of particles into an organic solvent system, immersing one or more optical fibers into the coating suspension solution, removing the one or more optical fibers from the coating suspension solution to form high-particle-coated porous polymeric outer coating layer after drying. Concentrations and compositions of the particles in the coating suspension solution, concentrations and compositions of the organic solvent system, the period of time of immersing, or the external environment are adjusted such that the optical fibers is formed with high-particle-coated polymeric outer coating layers having desirable coating masses, coating thicknesses, or coating morphologies.

A fiber includes a core and cladding, both of which may have temperature dependent indices of refraction. The materials and size of the core and cladding may be selected such that as the temperature of the core and/or cladding is heated above room temperature, the fiber transitions from supporting multimode optical waveguiding to supporting single mode waveguiding.

A fabric substrate is prepared from woven coated yarns. Each coated yarn has a yarn core and a coating disposed coaxially on the yarn core. This coating contains: (i) porous particles in an amount of 4-20 weight %, each porous particle comprising a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase, a mode particle size of 2-50 m; (ii) a film-forming binder material having a T.sub.g of less than or equal to 25 C., in an amount of 40-90 weight %; and (iii) an inorganic filler material having a value of less than 5 on the MOHS scale of mineral hardness, which inorganic filler material is present in an amount of 4-30 weight %.

A glass based fibrous filler having bioactive particles such as hydroxyapatite deposited on a surface of glass fibers. Methods of preparing the fibrous filler are specified. A resin composite containing a polymerizable system reinforced with the fibrous filler, as well as a biomedical restoration based on the cured resin composite are also provided.

A glass based fibrous filler having bioactive particles such as hydroxyapatite deposited on a surface of glass fibers. Methods of preparing the fibrous filler are specified. A resin composite containing a polymerizable system reinforced with the fibrous filler, as well as a biomedical restoration based on the cured resin composite are also provided.