Polymer Mixing

Fiber Cross-Section	PMMA	DR1 azo dye	Methy Ethyl Ketone	Clorobenzene
	8g	0.6g	37.5ml	112.5ml
	8g	0.6g	30ml	90ml
	8g	0.6g	15ml	45ml

1. Materials needed:
   1. *For each batch*
   2. • (2) 8 oz glass wide-lid jars (from Chem-stores)
   3. • PMMA
   4. • DR1 - 95% or higher purity
   5. • MEK
   6. • Chlorobenzene
      -or Cyclohexanone as solvent-
   7. • mass scale (to measure out weight in grams)
   8. • graduated cylinder
   9. • (1) 1 in. magnetic stir bar (from Chem-stores)
   10. • Electric Stirrer or Hotplate/stirrer (for cyclohexanone)
   11. • (1) Large disposable 60 mL syringe (from Chem-stores)
   12. • (1) .2 μm filter disposable (from Chem-stores)
       
2. 
   
   PMMA with Chlorobenzene and MEK
   1. (Using more solvent in these recipes will yield thinner polymers)
   2. 1) Clean a glass jar using acetone and isopropanol. Dry it with the nitrogen gun.
   3. 2) Using a clean spoon and a plastic cup, measure 8g of PMMA on scale and put into glass jar
   4. 3) Using a clean spoon and plastic cup, measure 0.6g of purest DR1 available (95% or better) and put into glass jar
   5. 4) Measure 15 mL, 30 mL, or 37.5 mL of MEK in a clean graduated cylinder and pour into glass jar (for 1X, 2X, or 2.5X solvent recipes)
   6. 5) Measure 45mL, 90mL, or 112.5 mL of Chlorobenzene in a clean graduated cylinder and pour into the jar (for 1X, 2X, or 2.5X solvent recipes)
   7. 6) Place a clean stir bar into the jar
   8. 7) Put lid on the jar and tighten
   9. 8) Place the jar on the stirrer set at 6-7
   10. 9) Stir for 24 hours
   11. 10) Put a 0.2 micron filter on a 60 mL syringe
   12. 11) Draw the polymer through the filter into the syringe
   13. 12) Remove the filter and squirt the polymer into a clean container
       
3. 
   
   PMMA with Cyclohexenone
   1. (Using more solvent in these recipes will yield thinner polymers)
   2. 1) Clean a glass jar using acetone and isopropanol. Dry it with the nitrogen gun.
   3. 2) Using a clean spoon and a plastic cup, measure 8g of PMMA on scale and put into glass jar
   4. 3) Using a clean spoon and plastic cup, measure 0.6g of purest DR1 available (95% or better) and put into glass jar
   5. 4) Measure 60 mL, 120 mL, or 150 mL of Cyclohexenone and pour into glass jar
   6. 5) Place a clean stir bar into the jar
   7. 6) Put lid on the jar and tighten
   8. 7) Place the jar on a heated stirring plate
   9. 8) Adjust the temperature to 44 degrees and monitor with a thermocouple
   10. 9) Let stir for 24 hours and ensure that temperature stays close to 44 degrees centigrade
   11. 10) Put a 0.2 micron filter on a 60 mL syringe
   12. 11) Draw the polymer through the filter into the syringe
   13. 12) Remove the filter and squirt the polymer into a clean container
       
4. 
   
   How this works:
   1. • We use these polymer mixes in making our Core-replaced fiber sensors.
   2. • These mixtures have a guest-host relation between the polymer (PMMA) and the chromophore, or dye (DR1). The polymer gives the structure to the material, and the chromophore gives the material non-linear properties- which are extremely useful in optics and especially this application.
   3. • The solvents used (MEK & chlorobenzene, or cyclohexanone) allow the polymer and the chromophore to distribute evenly. When the material is allows to set or cure, the solvent evaporates leaving a polymer "matrix" with chromophore interdispersed all around. Then we "pole" the material.
      
   4. • The nonlinear properties of the chromophore (DR1) allow all the chromophore molecules to be aligned in a certain direction. This is done by "poling". The material is put in a large magnetic field under high temperatures which allows the material to soften and the chromophore to rotate.
   5. • The chromophores align themselves to the direction of the E-field because each molecule is a dipole.