Thermoplastic polymer nanocomposites for applications in optical devices

Polymer optical fibres (POF) have superior properties compared to glass fibres like e.g. high flexural strength, uncomplicated mechanical machining and inexpensive mass production. Dispersion of nanoscaled ceramic fillers in polymers allows the modification of the refractive index depending on the ceramic used and the aspired application. Current work deals with the development of a process chain to tailor the refractive index of PMMA using a UV-curable reactive resin and ceramic nanopowders as well as with the ageing behaviour of polymer nanocomposites. Improved dispersion techniques applying high shear forces to deagglomerate the ceramic powders lead to a refractive index shift depending on the ceramic fillers maintaining a transparency of resulting polymer nanocomposites sufficient for optical applications in the visible (633 nm) and in the infrared (1550 nm) regime. Optical devices were obtained using reaction moulding of the modified polymer nanocomposites as rapid prototyping method.