Cellulose Acetate Based Optical Fibers Produced by Melt-Spinning

Currently, there is increasing interest in developing sustainable optical fibers using renewable materials. Cellulose, together with its derivatives, has emerged as a promising candidate for short-distance optical transmission. Such bio-based polymer optical fibers (Bio-POFs) are traditionally produced via spinning processes from solution. Commercially used POFs produced from fossil sources are commonly fabricated via melt spinning techniques, eliminating the need for solvents. This study presents a first proof-of-concept of a scalable method for producing Bio-POFs from glycerol triacetate-plasticized cellulose acetate (60 wt-% and 70 wt-% cellulose acetate). In utilizing both batch and continuous filament melt extrusion techniques of plasticized cellulose acetate, we produced Bio-POFs and investigated the attenuation by both UV/Vis and NIR spectroscopy. The minimum attenuation value obtained is 33.2 dB m-1 (850 nm), which further closes the performance gap towards fossil-based POFs. This approach offers a sustainable and practical solution for the next generation of Bio-POF applications while ensuring consistent optical performance.