The present invention discloses a compound of which a structural formula thereof is represented as the following formula: ##STR00001##
The compound disclosed by the present invention can be used as a liquid crystal compound and overcomes the problem that solubility of the traditional dibenzothiophene-class liquid crystals is poor, and thus can be better applied to the liquid crystal material field. The present invention further discloses a liquid crystal medium containing the compound and an application thereof.

Provided is a polarizer having a high degree of alignment and an image display device including the polarizer. The polarizer is formed of a polarizer-forming composition containing a polymer liquid crystal compound and a dichroic material, in which the polymer liquid crystal compound is a thermotropic liquid crystal and a crystalline polymer, the polymer liquid crystal compound and the dichroic material are horizontally aligned, and crystallinity of the polymer liquid crystal compound in the polarizer-forming composition is higher than the crystallinity of the polymer liquid crystal compound alone.

Provided is a polarizer having a high degree of alignment and an image display device including the polarizer. The polarizer is formed of a polarizer-forming composition containing a polymer liquid crystal compound and a dichroic material, in which the polymer liquid crystal compound is a thermotropic liquid crystal and a crystalline polymer, the polymer liquid crystal compound and the dichroic material are horizontally aligned, and crystallinity of the polymer liquid crystal compound in the polarizer-forming composition is higher than the crystallinity of the polymer liquid crystal compound alone.

The compound is represented by general formula (i). In the compound, in a group K.sup.i1, at least two secondary carbon atoms in an alkyl group (a linear alkyl, halogenated alkyl, or cyanogenated alkyl group having 3 to 40 carbon atoms) are replaced with —C(═X.sup.i1)— and/or —CH(—CN)—, where X.sup.i1 is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, NH, or NR.sup.13; in addition, a group A.sup.i2, a group A.sup.i3, or the group K.sup.i1 includes, as a substituent, at least one P.sup.i1-Sp.sup.i1- group, where P.sup.i1 is a polymerizable group, and SP.sup.i1 is a spacer group or a single bond. The liquid crystal composition including the compound represented by general formula (i) can be adsorbed onto substrates between which a liquid crystal layer is held, and, consequently, without the use of an alignment film, liquid crystal molecules can be maintained in a state in which the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a vertical direction. ##STR00001##

The compound is represented by general formula (i). In the compound, in a group K.sup.i1, at least two secondary carbon atoms in an alkyl group (a linear alkyl, halogenated alkyl, or cyanogenated alkyl group having 3 to 40 carbon atoms) are replaced with —C(═X.sup.i1)— and/or —CH(—CN)—, where X.sup.i1 is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, NH, or NR.sup.13; in addition, a group A.sup.i2, a group A.sup.i3, or the group K.sup.i1 includes, as a substituent, at least one P.sup.i1-Sp.sup.i1- group, where P.sup.i1 is a polymerizable group, and SP.sup.i1 is a spacer group or a single bond. The liquid crystal composition including the compound represented by general formula (i) can be adsorbed onto substrates between which a liquid crystal layer is held, and, consequently, without the use of an alignment film, liquid crystal molecules can be maintained in a state in which the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a vertical direction. ##STR00001##

The present invention relates to mesogen compounds that include first, second, and third mesogens, in which the first and second mesogens are connected by a first linking group (-L.sup.1-), and the second and third mesogens are connected by a second linking group (-L.sup.2-), as represented by the following Formula (I), and as graphically illustrated by Formula (Ia) of FIG. 1 of the drawing:
(Mesogen-1)-L.sup.1-(Mesogen-2)-L.sup.2-(Mesogen-3)  (I)
At least one of Mesogen-1, Mesogen-2, or Mesogen-3 include at least four cyclic groups. The linking groups -L.sup.1- and -L.sup.2- are each free of mesogen properties (are each non-mesogenic) and each independently have an average chain length of at least 20 bonds. The mesogen compounds are optionally polymerizable. The present invention also relates to liquid crystal compositions that include such mesogen compounds, and to optical elements that include such mesogen compounds, such as in one or more mesogen-containing layers.

The present invention relates to mesogen compounds that include first, second, and third mesogens, in which the first and second mesogens are connected by a first linking group (-L.sup.1-), and the second and third mesogens are connected by a second linking group (-L.sup.2-), as represented by the following Formula (I), and as graphically illustrated by Formula (Ia) of FIG. 1 of the drawing:
(Mesogen-1)-L.sup.1-(Mesogen-2)-L.sup.2-(Mesogen-3)  (I)
At least one of Mesogen-1, Mesogen-2, or Mesogen-3 include at least four cyclic groups. The linking groups -L.sup.1- and -L.sup.2- are each free of mesogen properties (are each non-mesogenic) and each independently have an average chain length of at least 20 bonds. The mesogen compounds are optionally polymerizable. The present invention also relates to liquid crystal compositions that include such mesogen compounds, and to optical elements that include such mesogen compounds, such as in one or more mesogen-containing layers.

The present invention relates to mesogen compounds that include first, second, and third mesogens, in which the first and second mesogens are connected by a first linking group (-L.sup.1-), and the second and third mesogens are connected by a second linking group (-L.sup.2-), as represented by the following Formula (I): (I). At least one of Mesogen-1, Mesogen-2, or Mesogen-3 include at least four cyclic groups. The linking groups -L.sup.1- and -L.sup.2- are each free of mesogen properties (are each non-mesogenic) and each independently have an average chain length of at least 20 bonds. The mesogen compounds are optionally polymerizable. The present invention also relates to liquid crystal compositions that include such mesogen compounds, and to optical elements that include such mesogen compounds, such as in one or more mesogen-containing layers.

The present invention relates to mesogen compounds that include first, second, and third mesogens, in which the first and second mesogens are connected by a first linking group (-L.sup.1-), and the second and third mesogens are connected by a second linking group (-L.sup.2-), as represented by the following Formula (I): (I). At least one of Mesogen-1, Mesogen-2, or Mesogen-3 include at least four cyclic groups. The linking groups -L.sup.1- and -L.sup.2- are each free of mesogen properties (are each non-mesogenic) and each independently have an average chain length of at least 20 bonds. The mesogen compounds are optionally polymerizable. The present invention also relates to liquid crystal compositions that include such mesogen compounds, and to optical elements that include such mesogen compounds, such as in one or more mesogen-containing layers.

A liquid crystal composite material is disclosed, including a polymer matrix, and a light-blocking body dispersed in the polymer matrix, wherein when no voltage is applied, the light-blocking body is randomly oriented so that the liquid crystal composite material is in a black state, and wherein when a voltage is applied, the light-blocking body is orderly oriented and the polymer matrix scatters incident light, so that the liquid crystal composite material is in a scattering state. A light switching device, a display device and methods for manufacturing the liquid crystal composite material, the light switching device, and the display device are further disclosed.