Preparations of plastic optical fiber having amplifier function by impregnation of organic dye using supercritical carbon dioxide

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In general the plastic optical fibers having amplifier function has been prepared by spinning polymer melt mixed with some photosensitizer. In this work a quite different method was tried to prepare the plastic optical fiber having amplifier function ; a photo sensitizer, Rhodamine 6G was impregnate into some commercial plastic fibers from the supercritical carbon dioxide solution.As fundamental research, some synthetic fibers such as polyester and polypropyren fibers were dyed with disperse dyes in supercritical carbon dioxide. The solubility of dyestuffs, the swelling behavior, adsorption rate and adsorption isotherm were investigated. Consequently, the effects of dyeing temperature, pressure, time on the dying rate and equilibrium dyeing were made clear.In the case of impregnation of Rhodamine 6G into acrylic plastic optical fiber the structure change optical fiber was observed. Especially changing in diameter and/or foaming of the fiber were observed at higher temperature. Optimal condition was obtained at very low temperature. Using pure carbon dioxide no enough amount of Rhodamine 6G was impregnated. In order to impregnate much amount of Rhodamine small amounts of co-solvents was added in supercritical CO2. High amount of impregnation was obtained by adding of 3-5 mol % methanol.Optical property of the Rhodamin 6G impregnated acrylic optical fiber shows enough degree of luminescence. It is also suggested that the prepared fiber acts as a organic dye laser and a new type of plastic optical fiber having amplifier function.