Custom Monomers and Polymers for Spectacle Lenses

Abstract

Monomers and polymers used in making spectacle lenses are disclosed. A thermal curing process is disclosed that includes a latent thermal cationic acid generator and optionally a cationic photoinitiator.

1 . A method of making an optical element by forming a polymer layer employing a thermally initiated cationic ring opening polymerization reaction which comprises:
 a. mixing one or more monomers and a thermal initiator,   b. forming a layer of the mixture of (a) and   c. heating the layer to cure it.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the monomer is an epoxy, an oxetane or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising adding a photoinitiator to the mixture of (a). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the photoinitiator is an arylsulfonium, alkylsulfonium, or aryliodonium photo acid generator. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the thermal initiator is a latent thermal cationic acid generator. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the latent thermal cationic acid generator is ammonium hexafluoroantimonate. 
     
     
         7 . A method of making an optical element by forming a polymer layer employing a thermally initiated cationic ring opening polymerization reaction which comprises:
 a. mixing one or more monomers, a latent thermal cationic acid generator and a cationic photoinitiator;   b. forming a layer of the mixture of (a);   c. heating the layer to partially cure it;   d. irradiating the layer to form a variable index of refraction profile in the layer; and   e. heating the layer to fully cure all of the unreacted monomers.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the monomer is an epoxy, an oxetane or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the photoinitiator is an arylsulfonium, alkylsulfonium, or aryliodonium photo acid generator. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the thermal initiator is a latent thermal cationic acid generator. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the latent thermal cationic acid generator is ammonium hexafluoroantimonate. 
     
     
         12 . A method of making an optical element having a variable index of refraction profile which comprises:
 a. forming a layer comprising a mixture of two or more monomers that have differing initial refractive indices and differing cured refractive indices; and   b. curing specific monomers at specific points across the layer to create a pattern of refractive index that has a Δn of up to 0.30.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein two or more of the following monomers are present in said mixture of (a):
 R(SH) n    
 R(X) n  and 
 R(Y) n    
 
     
     
         14 . A method of making a lens material comprising:
 a. making a mold of a desired shape,   b. melting a mixture of monomers selected from the group consisting of R(SH) n , R(X) n  and R(Y) n  and   c. curing the monomers with heat   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the lens material is a slab (sheet). 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the lens material is a lens blank. 
     
     
         17 . A formulation to make an optical element which comprises:
 a. one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of epoxy monomers, oxetane monomers and mixtures thereof and   b. a thermal initiator.   
     
     
         18 . The formulation of  claim 17  further comprising a photoinitiator. 
     
     
         19 . The formulation of  claim 18  wherein the thermal initiator is a latent thermal cationic acid generator and the photoinitiator is an arylsulfonium, alkylsulfonium, or aryliodonium photo acid generator. 
     
     
         20 . The formulation of  claim 19  wherein the latent thermal cationic acid generator is ammonium hexafluoroantimonate.