RESIN FOR OPTICAL MATERIAL

PURPOSE:To provide the titled resin having excellent heat-resistance and thermal stability in addition to good moisture-resistance and surface hardness and composed of a radical polymerization product of an ethylenic unsaturated monomer, provided that a major part of the above monomer is composed of a di(meth)- acrylate produced by a specific method. CONSTITUTION:The objective resin for an optical material is composed of a radical polymerization product of an ethylenic unsaturated monomer. In the above resin, at least a major part of the monomer is an ester produced by esterifying 1mol of tricyclo-[5,2,1,0 , ]decane dimethanol with 2mol of a mixture of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid (the molar ratio of methacrylic acid/acrylic acid is preferably 0.5-2.5) usually in the presence of an esterification catalyst such as sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, etc., and a polymerization inhibitor such as hydroquinone, phenothiazine, etc., at 80-150 deg.C.