Preparation method of MT ferrule and application thereof

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of optical communication, and particularly discloses a preparation method of an MT ferrule and application thereof; the preparation method comprises the following steps: mixing preparation raw materials of the MT ferrule, injection molding, and then annealing treatment, so as to obtain the MT ferrule; and the preparation raw materials of the MT ferrule contain polyphenylene sulfide. The preparation method can make the polyphenylene sulfide in the MT ferrule fully crystallize through simple annealing treatment on the MT ferrule after injection molding, so that the prepared MT ferrule has better bending strength and more stable size, and the service life of the MT ferrule is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of optical communications, and in particular relates to a preparation method of an MT ferrule and an application thereof. Background Art

[0002] The MT (Mechanical Transfer) ferrule is a multi-core, multi-channel plug-in connector made of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) plastic injection molding. It has excellent properties such as good thermal stability, high mechanical strength, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, flame retardancy, and good dimensional stability. It can achieve high-density and high-precision connection of multiple optical fibers and is widely used in MPO fiber optic connector manufacturing and optical coupling of devices.

[0003] MT ferrules are frequently plugged and unplugged during use, subjecting them to long-term friction and mechanical stress. Furthermore, data centers and base stations may operate in varying temperatures and operating conditions, requiring them to possess high mechanical strength and dimensional stability. Existing MT ferrules are injection-molded using PPS, typically at a mold temperature of around 135°C and with a short molding cycle. This results in loosely arranged PPS molecular chains and incomplete crystallization, resulting in poor dimensional stability and flexural strength. This poses a risk of breakage and chipping during the clamping and grinding processes. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome at least one technical problem existing in the above-mentioned prior art, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a method for preparing an MT ferrule.

[0005] A second object of the present invention is to provide an MT ferrule.

[0006] A third object of the present invention is to provide a method for preparing the MT ferrule and / or application of the MT ferrule in the field of optical fiber connectors or optical coupling of devices.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0008] A first aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing an MT ferrule, comprising the following steps:

[0009] The raw materials for preparing the MT ferrule are mixed and injection-molded, and then annealed to obtain the MT ferrule;

[0010] The raw materials for preparing the MT ferrule contain polyphenylene sulfide.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the temperature of the annealing step is 120-185°C.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the annealing step is performed for 10 to 300 minutes.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the temperature of the annealing step is 140-180°C.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the annealing step is performed for 30 to 240 minutes.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the temperature of the annealing step is recorded as T°C, and the time of the annealing step is recorded as t min; the relationship between the time of the annealing step and the temperature of the annealing step is: t=-5.5T+b, 1000°C≤b≤1050°C.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, the mold temperature of the injection molding step is 130-140°C.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the injection molding time is 10 to 15 seconds.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present invention, the raw materials for preparing the MT ferrule further contain inorganic particles and additives.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, the inorganic particles include at least one of Al2O3, SiO2, ZrO2, ZnO, and CaCO3.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present invention, the additive includes at least one of a toner and a lubricant dispersant.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present invention, the toner includes at least one of carbon black, iron black, cobalt black, and copper chromium black.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present invention, the lubricating dispersant includes at least one of a hyperbranched polyester and ethylene bisstearamide.

[0023] The second aspect of the present invention provides an MT ferrule, which is prepared by the preparation method described in the first aspect of the present invention; the crystallinity of polyphenylene sulfide in the MT ferrule is 35-45%.

[0024] The third aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing the MT ferrule according to the first aspect of the present invention and / or an application of the MT ferrule according to the second aspect of the present invention in the field of optical fiber connectors or optical coupling of devices.

[0025] The beneficial effect of the present invention is that the preparation method of the present invention performs a simple annealing treatment on the MT ferrule after injection molding, so that the polyphenylene sulfide in the MT ferrule can be fully crystallized, so that the prepared MT ferrule has better flexural strength and more stable dimensions, thereby extending the service life of the MT ferrule. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The specific implementation of the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the examples, but the implementation and protection of the present invention are not limited thereto. It should be noted that if there are any processes that are not particularly described in detail below, they can be implemented or understood by those skilled in the art with reference to the prior art. The reagents or instruments used that do not indicate the manufacturer are all conventional products that can be purchased commercially.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present invention, the present invention provides a method for preparing an MT ferrule, comprising the following steps:

[0028] The raw materials for preparing the MT ferrule are mixed and injection molded, and then annealed to obtain the MT ferrule;

[0029] The raw materials used in the preparation of MT ferrules contain polyphenylene sulfide.

[0030] In some embodiments of the present invention, the present invention provides a method for preparing an MT ferrule, comprising the following steps:

[0031] The raw materials for preparing the MT ferrule are mixed, melt-extruded and granulated, and then injection-molded, and then annealed and cooled to obtain the MT ferrule;

[0032] The raw materials used in the preparation of MT ferrules contain polyphenylene sulfide.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present invention, the cooling step is natural cooling.

[0034] During research and development, the inventors discovered that if the injection-molded MT ferrule is used directly, the MT ferrule will have low flexural strength and poor dimensional stability. If the injection-molded MT ferrule is annealed, the polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) molecules can have sufficient time to rearrange and crystallize, thereby giving the PPS an appropriate degree of crystallinity, thereby improving the flexural strength and dimensional stability of the MT ferrule.

[0035] In some embodiments of the present invention, the temperature of the annealing step is 120-185°C; in some embodiments of the present invention, the temperature of the annealing step is selected from any value of 120°C, 125°C, 130°C, 135°C, 140°C, 145°C, 150°C, 155°C, 160°C, 165°C, 170°C, 175°C, 180°C, 185°C, or a range formed by any two of the values; in some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the temperature of the annealing step is 140-180°C.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present invention, the time of the annealing step is 10 to 300 min; in some embodiments of the present invention, the time of the annealing step is selected from any value of 10 min, 20 min, 30 min, 40 min, 50 min, 60 min, 70 min, 80 min, 90 min, 100 min, 110 min, 120 min, 130 min, 140 min, 150 min, 160 min, 170 min, 180 min, 190 min, 200 min, 210 min, 220 min, 230 min, 240 min, 250 min, 260 min, 270 min, 280 min, 290 min, 300 min, or a range formed by any two of them; in some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the time of the annealing step is 30 to 240 min.

[0037] The inventors discovered that annealing temperature and time have a significant impact on the annealing effect. When the annealing temperature is controlled between 120 and 185°C and the annealing time is controlled between 10 and 300 minutes, better results can be achieved. When the annealing temperature is too low or the annealing time is too short, the PPS molecules are insufficiently crystallized, insufficiently improving the strength of the MT ferrule. When the annealing temperature is too high or the annealing time is too long, the product shrinks due to material crystallization, resulting in a decrease in the dimensional stability of the MT ferrule. Furthermore, when the annealing temperature is controlled between 140 and 180°C and the annealing time is controlled between 30 and 240 minutes, the flexural strength of the MT ferrule can be further improved, resulting in excellent dimensional stability.

[0038] In some embodiments of the present invention, the temperature of the annealing step is denoted as T°C, and the duration of the annealing step is denoted as tmin. The relationship between the duration of the annealing step and the temperature is: t = -5.5T + b, 1000°C ≤ b ≤ 1050°C. In some embodiments of the present invention, b can be selected from any value of 1000, 1005, 1010, 1015, 1020, 1025, 1030, 1035, 1040, 1045, and 1050, or a range formed by any two of these values. The inventors have further discovered that when the temperature and duration of the annealing step satisfy t = -5.5T + b, 1000°C ≤ b ≤ 1050°C, gradually shortening the annealing time as the annealing temperature increases can further ensure the annealing effect and improve the flexural strength of the MT ferrule.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, the mold temperature of the injection molding step is 130-140°C; in some embodiments of the present invention, the mold temperature of the injection molding step is selected from any value of 131°C, 132°C, 133°C, 134°C, 135°C, 136°C, 137°C, 138°C, 139°C, 140°C or a range formed by any two of them.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present invention, the injection molding time is 10 to 15 s; in some embodiments of the present invention, the injection molding time is any one of 10 s, 11 s, 12 s, 13 s, 14 s, and 15 s, or a range formed by any two of the values.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present invention, the raw materials for preparing the MT ferrule further contain inorganic particles and additives.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present invention, the raw materials for preparing the MT ferrule include the following materials in percentage by mass: 65-74% polyphenylene sulfide, 25-34% inorganic particles, and 0.1-2% additives.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present invention, the inorganic particles include at least one of Al2O3, SiO2, ZrO2, ZnO, and CaCO3.

[0044] In some embodiments of the present invention, the additive includes at least one of a toner and a lubricant dispersant.

[0045] In some embodiments of the present invention, the toner includes at least one of carbon black, iron black, cobalt black, and copper chromium black.

[0046] In some embodiments of the present invention, the lubricating dispersant includes at least one of a hyperbranched polyester and ethylene bisstearamide.

[0047] In some embodiments of the present invention, the present invention provides an MT ferrule, which is prepared by the above-mentioned preparation method; the crystallinity of the polyphenylene sulfide in the MT ferrule is 35-45%.

[0048] In some embodiments of the present invention, the crystallinity of polyphenylene sulfide in the MT ferrule is selected from any value of 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39%, 40%, 41%, 42%, 43%, 44%, 45%, or a range formed by any two of them.

[0049] In some embodiments of the present invention, the present invention provides an optical fiber connector, which includes the above-mentioned MT ferrule.

[0050] The following is a further detailed description of the implementation of the present invention with reference to specific embodiments:

[0051] Example 1

[0052] This example provides a method for preparing an MT ferrule, which includes the following steps:

[0053] S1. The following raw materials (69% by mass): polyphenylene sulfide, 30% SiO2, 0.7% ethylene bisstearamide, and 0.3% carbon black were premixed in a high-speed mixer for 30 minutes, then melt-extruded through a twin-screw extruder and pelletizer, and injection molded in a mold at 135°C for 15 seconds to obtain the MT ferrule to be processed;

[0054] S2. Place the MT ferrule to be processed in a vacuum heating furnace for annealing at a temperature of 140° C. for 240 seconds, and then cool it at room temperature of 25° C. to obtain an annealed MT ferrule.

[0055] In the MT ferrule prepared by the preparation method of this example, the crystallinity of polyphenylene sulfide is 41%.

[0056] Examples 2 to 11

[0057] The only difference between the preparation methods of the MT ferrules in Examples 2 to 11 and Example 1 is that the annealing temperature and annealing time are different, as shown in Table 1.

[0058] The crystallinity of the polyphenylene sulfide in the MT ferrules prepared by the preparation methods of Examples 2 to 11 is different from that of Example 1.

[0059] Table 1 Annealing temperature and annealing time of the preparation method of Examples 1 to 11

[0060]

[0061]

[0062] Comparative Example 1

[0063] This example provides a method for preparing an MT ferrule, which includes the following steps:

[0064] The following raw materials in mass percentage: 69% polyphenylene sulfide, 30% SiO2, 0.7% ethylene bisstearamide, and 0.3% carbon black were placed in a high-speed mixer for premixing for 30 minutes, then melt-extruded through a twin-screw extruder and granulator, and injection molded in a mold at 135°C for 15 seconds to produce an MT ferrule.

[0065] Performance testing:

[0066] The flexural strength, dimensional stability and crystallinity of the MT ferrules prepared in Examples 1 to 11 and Comparative Example 1 were tested respectively. The specific testing methods are shown in Table 2.

[0067] Table 2 Test methods

[0068]

[0069] The performance data of the MT ferrules prepared in Examples 1 to 11 and Comparative Example 1 measured according to the above test method are shown in Table 3 below.

[0070] Table 3 Performance data of MT ferrule

[0071]

[0072]

[0073] As shown in Table 3, compared with Comparative Example 1, the MT ferrules of Examples 1-11 exhibit superior dimensional stability, higher flexural strength, and higher crystallinity after annealing. Comparing Examples 6-9 with Examples 1-5 shows that controlling the annealing temperature between 140°C and 180°C and the annealing time between 30 and 240 minutes further improves the flexural strength and dimensional stability of the MT ferrule. Comparing Examples 10-11 with Examples 1-5 shows that when the annealing temperature T and annealing time t satisfy t = -5.5T + b, 1000 ≤ b ≤ 1050, the high flexural strength and dimensional stability of the MT ferrule can be further ensured.

[0074] In summary, the present invention can improve the crystallinity of polyphenylene sulfide by annealing the MT ferrule obtained by injection molding, thereby effectively improving the strength and dimensional stability of the MT ferrule. The strength and dimensional stability of the MT ferrule can be further improved by adjusting the annealing temperature and annealing time.

[0075] While the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications may be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof may be combined with one another unless there is a conflict.

Claims

1. A method for preparing an MT ferrule, characterized by: The following steps are involved: The raw materials for preparing the MT ferrule are mixed and injection-molded, and then annealed to obtain the MT ferrule; The raw materials for preparing the MT ferrule contain 65-74% by mass of polyphenylene sulfide and 25-34% by mass of inorganic particles; the inorganic particles are SiO2; The temperature of the annealing step is recorded as T °C, and the time of the annealing step is recorded as t min. The relationship between the time of the annealing step and the temperature of the annealing step is: t=-5.5T+b, 1000 °C≤b °C≤1050 °C; The temperature of the annealing step is 140-180° C.; the time of the annealing step is 30-240 minutes.

2. The method for preparing the MT ferrule according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mold temperature of the injection molding step is 130-140° C.; and / or the injection molding time is 10-15 seconds.

3. The method for preparing the MT ferrule according to claim 1, characterized in that: The raw materials for preparing the MT ferrule further contain additives in an amount of 0.1-2% by mass.

4. The method for preparing the MT ferrule according to claim 3, characterized in that: The additive includes at least one of a toner and a lubricant and dispersant.

5. The method for preparing the MT ferrule according to claim 4, characterized in that: The toner includes at least one of carbon black, iron black, cobalt black, and copper chrome black; And / or, the lubricating dispersant includes at least one of hyperbranched polyester and ethylene bisstearamide.

6. An MT ferrule, characterized by: The MT ferrule is prepared by the preparation method according to any one of claims 1 to 5; the crystallinity of the polyphenylene sulfide in the MT ferrule is 35-45%.

7. A method for preparing the MT ferrule according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or use of the MT ferrule according to claim 6 in the field of optical fiber connectors or optical coupling of devices.

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