Effects of weaving process on side-glowing properties of polymer optical fiber fabrics with different structures

Polymer optical fiber(POF) fabrics with simple structure and soft handle were prepared based on the structural damage during weaving process.This paper analyzed the damage mechanism of POF during manufacturing process and compared the side-glowing intensity of POF fabrics with different weave structures.The results indicated that POF is damaged mainly in the process of take-up,and the deterioration of side-glowing of POF is chiefly attributed to the damage caused by the squeeze and friction of the take-up roll during winding.Side-glowing intensity varies with structures of POF fabrics,and among them,the satin fabric shows the highest while the plain fabric shows the lowest.Increasing the repeats of satin weave increases the side-glowing intensity;however,when repeats are up to 16,it is less affected because the POF is close to the largest contact with take-up roll,and the bending of POF plays a dominant role.Therefore 16-end sateen fabric is preferred in view of luminescent effect of POF fabrics.