Provided are a multi-core fiber that enables complete automation of alignment in fusion splicing of multi-core fibers and an apparatus for manufacturing the multi-core fiber. A glass cladding of the multi-core fiber has a coating. A coating marker is drawn on the coating at a position that is determined by a predetermined rule that prescribes a positional relation with the core, for example, the coating marker is drawn on the coating near a specific core number. During fusion splicing of the multi-core fibers, two multi-core fibers are installed such that positions of the coating markers are substantially aligned. After the installation of the multi-core fibers, the coating markers of the two multi-core fibers are subjected to automatic rotational alignment by a fusion splicer to achieve a predetermined positional relation, and thus rotational positions between the two multi-core fibers are aligned.

An optical fiber draw system and method of coating an optical fiber. The system includes a furnace for heating an optical fiber preform, a draw assembly for drawing the optical fiber at a draw speed greater than 50 meters per second, a first coating applicator for applying a first coating onto the fiber, and a first curing assembly comprising a first plurality of light sources comprising light-emitting diodes for partially curing the first coating. The optical fiber draw system also includes a second coating applicator for applying a second coating onto the fiber on top of the first coating, and a second curing system comprising a second plurality of light sources for curing the second coating, wherein the first coating is further cured in the range of 15-50 percent after leaving the first curing assembly.

Provided are materials that include one or more cycloaliphatic polyamides integrated into or coated onto one or more structural fibers such as polyethylene fibers, aramid-fibers, glass fibers or carbon fibers. The resulting materials may be incorporated into composite articles suitable for use as protective equipment or structural layers.

Provided are materials that include one or more cycloaliphatic polyamides integrated into or coated onto one or more structural fibers such as polyethylene fibers, aramid-fibers, glass fibers or carbon fibers. The resulting materials may be incorporated into composite articles suitable for use as protective equipment or structural layers.

An optical fiber cable comprising an optical fiber, and a jacketing layer including at least two or more layers of a jacketing inner layer and a jacketing outer layer formed in this order concentrically, wherein the jacketing layer comprises at least two or more layers of a jacketing inner layer and a jacketing outer layer formed in this order concentrically; a material constituting the jacketing inner layer is composed of a resin material having an oxygen permeability of 2.0 cc.Math.20 m/(m.sup.2.Math.day.Math.atm) or less; a material constituting the jacketing outer layer comprises at least one selected from a polyolefin-based resin, a polybutylene terephthalate-based resin, and a fluorine-based resin containing no chlorine atom in its structure; and the following general formula (i) and (ii) are satisfied when an outer diameter of the optical fiber is denoted by A (m), an outer diameter of the optical fiber cable is denoted by B (m), and a thickness of the jacketing outer layer is denoted by c (m):

900A1100(i)

0.402c/(BA)0.70(ii).

The systems and methods of forming optical fiber coatings with reduced defects include moving a bare optical fiber through first and second coating sub-systems. The first coating sub-system forms a first coating on the bare optical fiber by depositing a first coating material and then curing the deposited first coating material with actinic light. This process also results in the formation of stray actinic light. The process also includes moving the coated optical fiber through a second coating sub-system to form a second coating on the first coating. A light-blocking device resides between the first and second coating sub-systems to block the stray actinic light. Without the light-blocking device, the stray actinic light can enter the second coating sub-system and reach the second coating material therein and form a gel therefrom, which in turn leads to defects in the coated optical fiber exiting the second coating sub-system.

An optical fiber including a glass core, and a polymer cladding formed around the glass core, the polymer cladding containing a mixture of a polymerizable composition and a silane coupling agent, and a fluorine-based ultraviolet curable resin. The mixture contains 5 to 95 parts by weight of the silane coupling agent based on 100 parts by weight of the total weight of the mixture. The fluorine-based ultraviolet curable resin alone has a refractive index in a range of 1.350 to 1.420 after ultraviolet curing. A component originated from the silane coupling agent is concentrated within a range of 20 m or less in the polymer cladding from an interface between the glass core and the polymer cladding.

An optical fiber including a glass core, and a polymer cladding formed around the glass core, the polymer cladding containing a mixture of a polymerizable composition and a silane coupling agent, and a fluorine-based ultraviolet curable resin. The mixture contains 5 to 95 parts by weight of the silane coupling agent based on 100 parts by weight of the total weight of the mixture. The fluorine-based ultraviolet curable resin alone has a refractive index in a range of 1.350 to 1.420 after ultraviolet curing. A component originated from the silane coupling agent is concentrated within a range of 20 m or less in the polymer cladding from an interface between the glass core and the polymer cladding.

The present disclosure refers to an aqueous dispersion comprising a polymer-inorganic particles composite and the method for preparing the same, wherein the polymer has ionic hydrophilic groups and hydrophobic long chain hydrocarbyl groups, and the polymer is covalently linked to said inorganic particles. The present disclosure also refers to powdered fillers obtained by drying the aqueous dispersion. The present disclosure further refers to a waterborne coating composition comprising the aqueous dispersion or the powdered fillers, as well as a coated article.

The present disclosure refers to an aqueous dispersion comprising a polymer-inorganic particles composite and the method for preparing the same, wherein the polymer has ionic hydrophilic groups and hydrophobic long chain hydrocarbyl groups, and the polymer is covalently linked to said inorganic particles. The present disclosure also refers to powdered fillers obtained by drying the aqueous dispersion. The present disclosure further refers to a waterborne coating composition comprising the aqueous dispersion or the powdered fillers, as well as a coated article.