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Fabrication of fluorinated polymer composite materials with a perfluoroalkylated POSS filler to reduce the refractive index

Polymer Journal volume 57, pages 1107–1114 (2025)Cite this article

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Abstract

In this study, we designed and synthesized a filler comprising a polyoctahedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) core and perfluoroalkyl side chains. We found that by blending POSS fillers into a fluorinated polymer, the refractive indices of fluorinated polymer films can be efficiently lowered. The perfluoroalkyl side chains increase the compatibility with fluorinated polymers, and the dendrimer-like structure of POSS creates a large space in the material. The degree of packing was quantitatively evaluated by using the packing coefficient (kp), which was decomposed into two components: the fluorinated polymer (kp,1) and the POSS (kp,2). Owing to the small packing coefficient of the POSS component (kp,2 = 0.430–0.513), the refractive index (n) of the composite material decreased to n = 1.379 from that of the pristine fluorinated polymer (n = 1.424, kp,1 = 0.68–0.76). This study represents a milestone for further reducing the refractive indices of various fluorinated polymers currently in practical use.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dr. Kenji Urayama, Dr. Jun-ichi Horinaka, and Mr. Masataka Yamashita (Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University) for their assistance with dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA).

Funding

This work was partially supported by the ENEOS Tonengeneral Research/Development Encouragement & Scholarship Foundation (for M.G.) and a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (for K.T.) (JP24K01570).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Polymer Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Katsura, Kyoto, Japan

    Tatsuaki Kunimitsu, Keisuke Shibahara, Masayuki Gon & Kazuo Tanaka

  2. Department of Technology and Ecology, Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan

    Masayuki Gon & Kazuo Tanaka

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  1. Tatsuaki Kunimitsu
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Correspondence to Kazuo Tanaka.

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Kunimitsu, T., Shibahara, K., Gon, M. et al. Fabrication of fluorinated polymer composite materials with a perfluoroalkylated POSS filler to reduce the refractive index. Polym J 57, 1107–1114 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-025-01067-z

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