With the global development of technology, the use of polymer optical materials become more widely. As in recent years photorefractive materials, optical waveguide materials, nonlinear optical materials, plastic optical fiber, graded-index materials, optical coatings and so has been rapid development. Polymer optical materials due to its light weight, impact resistance, easy molding, can be stained and excellent optical properties, is gradually replacing inorganic optical materials.
    As the polymer composition is characterized by its structure, polymer optical materials there are some defects, such as poor surface hardness, Zinc oxide refractive index and low water absorption, heat and poor, which are more limited range of polymer optical materials applications. Research and development of high performance polymer optical material is undoubtedly of great significance and great economic benefits. With the information in recent years the rapid development of science and technology, the global development of the material put forward higher requirements.
New injection molding technology to promote the development of optical polymers
    Recently, the German Engel (Engel) Electric Co., Ltd. introduced a new injection molding technology, Titanium dioxide the plasticizing unit by injection molding process to produce parts and thick lenses. This is known as optimelt injection technology first began to apply the product preformed section, which in a number of follow-up phase are coated with a layer of additional membrane (usually the same material).
     German Engel (Engel) Electric Co., Ltd. was established in 1923. The early 1960s, Engel company mainly produces permanent magnet DC motor, mid-1980s, the company started to focus on three-phase synchronous motor research and production. Engel products are: three-phase synchronous motor, DC motor, induction motor and servo controllers, etc., are widely used in automobiles, machinery, textile, printing and other industries.
    Right now, in a more cost-effective and flexible product design, Magnesia driven by a growing number of high-quality materials are used in optical components to the polymer from the glass transition, and Engel (Engel) has been committed to developing this technology. "At present, the challenge we face is how superior optical quality and to strike a balance between cost-effective." Engel said a spokesman at a press conference.
    While there are challenges in the use of plastic injection molding, for example, the entire process, including Hiroshima, including the microstructure of the surface elements must be precise shape and mold parts to reduce the residual stress, there is an accurate follow-up phase of the coating application, and finally, different thickness of the effective lens The optical surfaces must be accurate delineation of these materials in terms of plastic polymers there are some challenges.
    In this regard, Engel (Engel) that, compared to single-layer design, multi-layer injection molding process has the advantage of re-coating to cover the traces left by the previous layer and other defects, to ensure that the optical components to achieve the best results. Engel (Engel) company said the special advantages to make the technology popular with thick lenses manufacturers, such as LED lens welcome. Engel (Engel) also stressed that the multi-layer optical technology applied in the original study showed that the boundary between the layers does not affect the optical illumination.
Advantages and disadvantages of optical polymer optical glass to shake the dominance of co-existence
    Polymer materials used in the optical field was first proposed by ArthurKingston, he began in 1934 has made injection molded plastic lens patents, and its use in the camera. In 1937, R. F. Hunter manufactures a full plastic lens of the camera.
    During World War II optical polymer materials are widely used to make telescopes, sight, and a magnifying glass on a camera lens. Due to the variety of materials, the quality is poor, backward processing conditions, after the war in the optical field of application once declined. 60 years later, Nickel oxide with the development of synthesis technology, optical increasing variety of polymer materials, processing technology has also been improved, while there has been surface modification technology, these factors contributed to the rapid development of optical polymers, and formed a independent optical polymer market.
      Compared with traditional inorganic optical materials, optical polymer materials, although heat resistance, weather resistance, abrasion resistance, solvent resistance, moisture absorption and optical homogeneity (birefringence, optical distortion) is poor, refractive index, dispersion a narrower range of thermal expansion coefficient, but the polymer optical materials with low density, high impact, low cost, easy processing molding, etc., have been widely used in recent years.
     Compared with the optical polymers, optical glass refractive index and dispersion have greater choice, and optical plastic range of options is very limited. The optical transmittance of the transparent resin is characterized by an important performance indicator, a resin, Neodymium fluoride the higher the transmittance, the transmittance, the better. Transmittance is defined as: the flux through the material (T2) to the total incident flux on the surface (T1) of the percentage. But in fact, any kind of light transmittance of transparent materials are less than 100%, even the best optical transparency of glass transmittance is generally difficult to over 95%.
Polymer optical materials overwhelmingly overturned the dominance of optical glass, become a party to occupy the dominant optical materials. With the rapid development of global technology, optical polymer is likely to overcome its poor heat resistance, low refractive index of disadvantage, instead of optical glass, optical products became the main force of the material. Source:www.mhcocm.com