Theoretical analysis of the thermally induced delamination of polymeric coatings in double-coated optical fibers

To maintain its mechanical strength, the glass fiber of optical fibers is coated by polymeric materials during the fabrication process, However, when the thermally induced shear stress at the interface of the glass fiber and primary coating is larger that its adhesive stress, the adhesive bond between the glass fiber and primary coating will be broken. When the polymeric coatings are delaminated from the glass fiber, the optical fiber will lose its mechanical strength. In this article, the thermally induced delamination of polymeric coatings in double-coated optical fibers is investigated. To minimize the coating's delamination, the thermally induced shear stress at the interface of the glass fiber and primary coating should be reduced. The method to minimize such a shear stress is to select suitable polymeric coatings as follows: The thickness and Poissòn's ratio of the primary coating should be increased, but the Young's modulus of the primary coating and the thickness, Young's modulus, and thermal expansion coefficient of the secondary coating should be decreased. Finally, the optimal design of commercialized double-coated optical fibers to minimize the thermally induced coating's delamination is also discussed.