Provided is a hardcoat film, which has at least a first cured layer, a support, and a second cured layer in this order and in which the first cured layer contains a cured substance of an epoxy group-containing curable compound, the second cured layer contains a cured substance of a (meth)acryloyl group-containing curable compound, a content rate of the cured substance of the epoxy group-containing curable compound in the second cured layer is lower than a content rate of the cured substance of the epoxy group-containing curable compound in the first cured layer, and Expression (1) is satisfied, and provided a front plate of an image display, a resistive film-type touch panel, a capacitance-type touch panel, and an image display in which the hardcoat film is used: Expression (1): 7>(film thickness of first cured layer/film thickness of second cured layer)>1.

Provided is a hardcoat film, which has at least a first cured layer, a support, and a second cured layer in this order and in which the first cured layer contains a cured substance of an epoxy group-containing curable compound, the second cured layer contains a cured substance of a (meth)acryloyl group-containing curable compound, a content rate of the cured substance of the epoxy group-containing curable compound in the second cured layer is lower than a content rate of the cured substance of the epoxy group-containing curable compound in the first cured layer, and Expression (1) is satisfied, and provided a front plate of an image display, a resistive film-type touch panel, a capacitance-type touch panel, and an image display in which the hardcoat film is used: Expression (1): 7>(film thickness of first cured layer/film thickness of second cured layer)>1.

A method of preparing a branched polymer comprises the free radical polymerisation of a multivinyl monomer in the presence of a chain transfer agent, using a source of radicals, wherein the extent of propagation is controlled relative to the extent of chain transfer to prevent gelation of the polymer. The average length of each vinyl polymer chain within the product is short.