An Investigation on Effect of Time Aging on Mechanical Behavior of Optical Fiber with Partially Cured Coating

The effect of time aging on mechanical behavior of optical fiber with partially cured coating is investigated experimentally. Fiber samples were drawn with different primary and secondary coating curing level. Fiber samples were exposed to fluorescent light and stored in a controlled laboratory environment. Tensile strength, two-point bend strength, primary & secondary coating diameters and curing of primary and secondary coatings were measured at various time intervals after draw upto 180 days. Dynamic fatigue of the samples was measured just after drawing and after 120 days of time aging. Increase in strength & fatigue, degree of curing of both primary & secondary coatings and decrease in coating diameters with time aging were observed. Weibull parameter (M-value) was also increased with time aging for the under-cured fiber. However, the increasing rate was different for various fiber samples and dependent on coating shrinkage and increase in curing level. It is found that mechanical properties of optical fiber have a strong relation on time aging and coating curing