Patent ID: 6136234
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: B29C,B29D,B29K

Abstract:
A process for fabricating a gradient refractive-index plastic rod comprising the following steps:a) sealing a monomer composition in a tube, wherein said monomer composition comprises a first monomer and at least a component selected from the group consisting of a second monomer and a non-reactive dopant;b) prepolymerizing the first monomer, and the second monomer, if present, while rotating the tube horizontally around its longitudinal axis; andc) polymerizing the resulting prepolymer or prepolymers while keeping the tube vertical, so that i) a plastic rod comprising the resulting polymer of the first monomer and the non-reactive dopant; ii) a plastic rod comprising the resulting polymers of the first monomer and the second monomer; or iii) a plastic rod comprising the resulting polymers of the first monomer and the second monomer, and the non-reactive dopant is formed in the tube,wherein the non-reactive dopant has a refractive index greater than that of the resulting polymer of the first monomer in case i); the first monomer has a polymerization reactivity higher than that of the second monomer, and the resulting polymer of the first monomer has a refractive index less than that of the resulting polymer of the second monomer in case ii); and the non-reactive dopant has a refractive index greater those of the resulting polymers of the first monomer and the second monomer in case iii).