An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing an optical laminate in which an alignment defect is less likely to occur in a light-absorbing anisotropic layer even in a case where a surface of a photo-alignment layer is rubbed; an optical laminate; and an image display device. The method for manufacturing an optical laminate according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing an optical laminate in which an optical laminate including a photo-alignment layer and a light-absorbing anisotropic layer and having a front transmittance of 60% or less is produced and which includes a photo-alignment layer formation step of forming a photo-alignment layer on a polymer film, and a light-absorbing anisotropic layer formation step of applying a liquid crystal composition containing a dichroic substance and a high-molecular liquid crystalline compound onto the photo-alignment layer to form a light-absorbing anisotropic layer.

A display panel and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. Each pixel of the display panel includes a transmission region and a reflection region, and the display panel includes a first polarizer, a first base substrate, a first alignment layer, a liquid crystal layer, a second alignment layer, a second base substrate, and a second polarizer. A reflection layer is provided between the second alignment layer and the second polarizer in the reflection region. The liquid crystal layer in the reflection region includes nematic liquid crystal and a polymer network. The liquid crystal layer in the transmission region includes a liquid crystal mixture including the nematic liquid crystal and polymerizable monomers. The polymer network in reflection region is formed by polymerizing the polymerizable monomers in the liquid crystal mixture.

A method for fabricating micro-cell structures is provided and has providing a liquid crystal mixture; performing a heating step on the liquid crystal mixture at a temperature ranging from 45 C. to 150 C., performing a heat induced phase separation step on the liquid crystal mixture at a thermal phase separation temperature for a thermal phase separation titre such that the liquid crystal mixture forms liquid crystal particles and a network light-curing adhesive, wherein the thermal phase separation temperature and the thermal phase separation time are determined by a changing rate of a bright area ratio of the liquid crystal mixture; and performing a photo-curing step on the liquid crystal mixture by emitting an ultraviolet light so that a plurality of micro-cell structures are formed. The micro-cell structures with different transparency are fabricated based on different values of the thermal phase separation temperature and the thermal phase separation time.

Provided is a reverse mode light scattering type liquid crystal device that is capable of withstanding practical use, has a low driving voltage, and shows a high haze when voltage is applied and a low haze when no voltage is applied. A reverse mode liquid crystal device includes a light control layer and at least a pair of electrodes, wherein the light control layer includes a polymerization product of a polymerizable material including: (A) a liquid crystal composition, (B) a perpendicular alignment agent, and (C) at least one polymerizable compound selected from polymer forming monomers and polymer forming oligomers.

A liquid crystal polymer composition comprising a liquid crystal, acrylic monomers including an acrylic monomer group (A) including a cyclic ring and an acrylic monomer group (B) including a chain structure or a cyclohexanol, and a photo initiator.

The invention provides a self-oriented material, a self-oriented liquid crystal material and a manufacturing method of the liquid crystal panel. The self-oriented material provided by the invention can be used for carrying out alignment on liquid crystal molecules, and a polyimide alignment layer is not required to he arranged in the liquid crystal panel when the self-oriented material is added into the liquid crystal material. The self-oriented liquid crystal material disclosed by the invention contains the self-oriented material, the self-oriented material can be used for carrying out alignment on liquid crystal molecules, therefore a polyimide alignment layer is not required to be arranged in the liquid crystal panel. According to the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal panel, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules is realized by utilizing the self-oriented material in the self-oriented liquid crystal material, and the polyimide alignment layer does not need to be manufactured, so that the process for manufacturing the polyimide alignment layer is saved, and the production cost is reduced.

According to one aspect of an inventive concept, a pre-polymer matrix formulation for a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) display includes a monofunctional monomer, a trifunctional oligomer, and a trifunctional monomer. According to another aspect of an inventive concept, a product includes a PDLC display formulation comprising a polymer matrix having a plurality of liquid crystal (LC) domains dispersed therein, wherein the polymer matrix comprises a polymerized product of a monofunctional monomer, a trifunctional oligomer, and a trifunctional monomer, and a pair of electrodes having the PDLC display formulation positioned therebetween. The PDLC display formulation is characterized as having a substantially constant optical transparency during application of a low power direct current (DC) electromagnetic field between the electrodes for a predefined duration of time.

According to one embodiment, a display device includes first and second substrates and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate includes pixel electrodes and a first alignment film. The second substrate includes a common electrode and a second alignment film. The liquid crystal layer is provided between the alignment films and contains a streaky polymer and liquid crystal molecules. The first alignment film includes flat areas. A first director of the liquid crystal molecules located near the flat areas is substantially parallel to a horizontal plane in a state where no potential difference is formed between the pixel electrodes and the common electrode.

An atmospheric water generator for extracting water droplets from ambient air includes an insulating substrate, a plurality of electrode film units, and a liquid crystal/polymer composite film. Each of surface regions of the liquid crystal/polymer composite film has a plurality of liquid crystal molecules each having a hydrophilic functional group and a hydrophobic moiety. Each of the surface regions normally has one of hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties. When a voltage is applied to one of the electrode film units, the respective surface region is switched to have the other one of hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties, to thereby allow the water droplets condensed from the ambient air to move on the surface regions.

A polymerizable compound has a high polymerizability, a high conversion ratio and a high solubility in a liquid crystal composition. A polymerizable composition contains the compound. A liquid crystal composite is prepared from the composition. A liquid crystal display device includes the liquid crystal composite. The polymerizable compound is formed in which the polymerizable compound has at least two polymerizable groups in which at least one polymerizable group is acryloyloxy or methacryloyloxy, and at least one remaining polymerizable group is a polymerizable group selected from the group of groups represented by formulas (P-1), (P-2) and (P-3). ##STR00001## In formulas (P-1) to (P-3), R.sup.1 to R.sup.8 are independently hydrogen, fluorine, methyl, ethyl or trifluoromethyl.