The present invention provides a polymerizable composition containing a specific polymerizable compound and a fluorosurfactant having, in its molecule, a pentaerythritol skeleton or a dipentaerythritol skeleton. The invention also provides an optically anisotropic body, a retardation film, an antireflective film, and a liquid crystal display device that are produced using the polymerizable composition of the present invention. The present invention is useful because, when an optically anisotropic body is produced by photo-polymerization of the polymerizable composition, three features including the leveling properties of the surface of the optically anisotropic body, offset onto the substrate, and liquid crystal alignment can be improved simultaneously.

A polymerizable LC material comprising at least one di- or multireactive mesogenic compound selected from the group of compounds of formula I, ##STR00001##
at least one monoreactive mesogenic compound selected from the group of compounds of formula II, ##STR00002##
wherein the parameter A.sup.11 to A.sup.21, L.sup.21, p, P.sup.11 to P.sup.22, R.sup.21, Sp.sup.11 to Sp.sup.21, X.sup.11 to X.sup.21, and Z.sup.11 to Z.sup.21 have one of the meanings as given in claim 1, and at least one carbazole oxime ester photoinitiator. Furthermore, a method for preparation of the polymerizable LC material, a polymer film with improved thermal durability obtainable from the corresponding polymerizable LC material, a method of preparation of such polymer film, and the use of such polymer film and said polymerizable LC material for optical, electro-optical, decorative or security devices.

An actuator device comprises a stack formed from a plurality of photoresponsive layers, which deform in response to light, which are partitioned by respective deformable non-photoresponsive layers. The deformable non-photoresponsive layers guide light between and to the photoresponsive layers, and can follow the deformation of the photoresponsive layers.

Provided are: a polymerizable liquid crystal composition for obtaining a retardation film that has high front contrast; and a liquid crystal polymer. A polymerizable liquid crystal composition which is characterized by containing a compound represented by formula (1).

##STR00001##

Exemplified are embodiments wherein in formula (1), W.sup.1 represents an alkyl group having 1-5 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1-5 carbon atoms, an alkoxycarbonyl group having 1-5 carbon atoms or an alkanoyl group having 1-5 carbon atoms; Z.sup.1 represents CH.sub.2CH.sub.2COO; Z.sup.2 represents OCOCH.sub.2CH.sub.2; each of Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 represents a linking group; each of Q.sup.1 and Q.sup.2 represents a spacer; and each of P.sup.1 and P.sup.2 represents a polymerizable functional group.

There is provided a liquid crystal composition that exhibits a sufficiently low viscosity (), a sufficiently low rotational viscosity (1), and a large elastic modulus (K.sub.33) without decreasing the refractive index anisotropy (n) and the nematic phase-isotropic liquid phase transition temperature (T.sub.ni) and without increasing the solid phase-nematic phase transition temperature (T.sub.cn). The liquid crystal display element that uses this liquid crystal composition satisfactorily obtains a pretilt angle and has a high voltage holding ratio (VHR) and high-speed response. Thus, a liquid crystal display element that has no or less alignment defects and display defects such as image sticking, and has high display quality and high response speed is obtained.

The present invention provides a polymerizable compound represented by Formula (I), which can be used as a low birefringence liquid crystal; ##STR00001##
in the formula, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent C(O)X-Sp.sup.3-Q.sup.3 or the like, n1 and n2 represent 0 to 4, X represents O or the like, Z.sup.1 represents an arylene group or the like, Z.sup.2 represents an arylene group, or the like, m1 represents 1 or 2, m2 represents 0 to 2, L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 represent C(O)O, OC(O), or the like, Sp.sup.1, Sp.sup.2, and Sp.sup.3 represent an alkylene group, a group in which one or two or more CH.sub.2's in the alkylene group are substituted with O, or the like, Q.sup.1 and Q.sup.2 represent a polymerizable group, and Q.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom or a polymerizable group; a polymer obtained by polymerizing the polymerizable compound; a polymerizable composition containing the polymerizable compound; and a film formed of the polymerizable composition.

Disclosed is a substrate which has thereon a marking or layer comprising a cured chiral liquid crystal precursor composition which does not contain any salt that would change the position of a selective reflection band exhibited by the cured composition. A modifying resin made from one or more polymerizable monomers comprising an average of at least one ether functionali typer polymerizable group is disposed between the substrate and the marking or layer and in contact with the marking or layer in one or more areas thereof. The modifying resin changes the position of a selective reflection band exhibited by the cured chiral liquid crystal precursor composition on the substrate in the one or more areas.

Provided is a three-dimensional (3D) helical-artificial-fibrous-muscle structured tubular soft actuator (HAFMS-TSA), a manufacturing method therefor and an application thereof. Fibrous liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) oligomers with weak crosslinked networks formed through chemical crosslinking reactions are mechanically oriented and stretched. The stretched fibrous LCE oligomers are winded onto a 3D mandrel for secondary assembly, then a 3D helical fibrous architecture is obtained, and the contacted fibrous LCE oligomers are bonded through chemical crosslinking reactions. The 3D helical tubular soft actuator is obtained after removing the mandrel. Multimodal reversible deformations of the 3D HAFMS-TSA upon external stimuli can be achieved by adjusting and controlling winding angles, formulations of liquid crystal materials and stretching ratios of the fibers. Advantages of well-defined degrees of design freedom and programmable-adaptive 3D deformations are achieved. The technology has wide application prospects in the fields of interactive soft robots, soft pumps, artificial muscles, bionic intelligent systems, etc.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device having excellent visibility outdoors, and a method for producing a liquid crystal display device capable of producing such a liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal display device includes: a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer that is sandwiched between the pair of substrates and contains a liquid crystal material; and an alignment control layer that is in contact with the liquid crystal layer, at least one of the pair of substrates including a retardation layer on its liquid crystal layer side, the alignment control layer aligning the liquid crystal material in a direction horizontal to faces of the substrates, and containing a polymer containing at least a unit derived from a specific first monomer.

The present invention provides an improved adhesion when a polymerizable liquid crystal composition is applied to a film substrate and cured, improved storage stability of the composition when the composition is used in a PSA display device, and a liquid crystal display device having improved display characteristics. The polymerizable compound is represented by general formula (I). The invention provides an optically anisotropic film using the polymerizable compound, and a liquid crystal display device using the polymerizable compound.

##STR00001##