Loose-tube fiber optic cables having buffer tubes with beta phase crystallization

摘要

A loose-tube fiber optic cable includes a cable core and a jacket. The cable core includes a buffer tube and an optical fiber, where the optical fiber is within the buffer tube. The buffer tube may be positioned at an interior region of the loose-tube fiber optic cable and the jacket may be positioned around the cable core. Material forming the buffer tube may have a composition of greater than or equal to about 70% by weight of a polymer that includes propylene monomers. At least a portion of the polymer may have a beta phase crystal structure characterized by a pseudo hexagonal crystal structure.

主权项

1. A loose-tube fiber optic cable comprising a cable core and a jacket, the cable core comprising a buffer tube and an optical fiber, wherein:
the optical fiber is positioned within the buffer tube; the buffer tube is positioned at an interior region of the loose-tube fiber optic cable; the jacket is positioned around the cable core; the buffer tube comprises greater than or equal to about 70% by weight of a polymer comprising propylene monomers; and at least a portion of the polymer has a beta phase crystal structure characterized by a pseudo hexagonal crystal structure; wherein at least a portion of the polymer has an alpha phase crystal structure and a ratio of an amount of the polymer that has the beta phase crystal structure to the amount of the polymer that has the alpha phase crystal structure is greater than or equal to about 1:1.