A fast way to fabricate polymethyl methacrylate for graded-index polymer optical fibers

The coextrusion process was considered to be a main approach to prepare graded-index polymer optical fibers (GI-POFs) and the primary polymer to fabricate that is poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA). The current process to polymerize methyl methacrylate (MMA) requires long hours. In this article, the heat transfer in the bulk polymerization was analyzed and calculated, according to which polymerization speed could enhance by removing the polymerization heat timely via the decompression of the reactant. It was validated by the experiments, and the optimum parameters of the reaction were obtained; thus, the polymerization of the MMA could be completed within hours. Analyses of the polymer showed that it was of a narrow polydispersity and a higher glass transition temperature. By means of decompression of the reactant, not only could MMA polymerize quickly but also its product properties were improved.