The present invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium based on a mixture of polar compounds having negative dielectric anisotropy (), which is distinguished by the fact that it has a value for the ratio .sub.1/n.sup.2 in the range 6-45 with a clearing point of >60 C. and a of 2.3. Media of this type are particularly suitable for electro-optical displays having active-matrix addressing based on the ECB, PA LCD, FFS or IPS effect.

A compound represented by Formula (1):

##STR00001## R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an alkyl group that may be substituted; rings A.sup.1 to A.sup.2 are cyclohexylene or phenylene that may be substituted; a is 0 to 4; Z.sup.1 is a single bond or an alkylene group that may be substituted; Sp.sup.1 to Sp.sup.3 are a single bond or an alkylene that may be substituted; M.sup.1 to M.sup.4 are H, F, Cl, or an alkyl group that may be substituted; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are hydrogen, a group represented by Formula (1-a), or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms that may be substituted; and at least one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is a group represented by Formula (1-a);

##STR00002## Sp.sup.4 is a single bond or an alkylene group that may be substituted; R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are hydrogen or an alkyl group; and at least one of R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 is an alkyl group.

Disclosed are a liquid crystal composition and a display element or display using the liquid crystal composition, wherein the liquid crystal composition contains one or more compounds of general formulas I, II and III, ##STR00001##
The liquid crystal composition disclosed in the present invention has an excellent performance, an optical anisotropy in the range of 0.080 to 0.150, a low rotary viscosity, a fast response time, and good chemical, optical and thermal stabilities, and is very suitable for manufacturing liquid crystal display elements, particularly suitable for active matrix display elements, such as active matrix displays using a VA, FFS or IPS mode.

The present invention relates to liquid-crystal (LC) media as defined in claim 1, to the use thereof for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in LC displays, and to LC displays containing said LC media. The invention in particular relates to LC media with improved response time that enable energy saving displays.

A liquid crystal composition without requiring an alignment film or alignment treatment on a substrate. The problem is solved by a low molecular weight polar compound capable of homogeneously aligning a liquid crystal medium relative to the substrate, for example, a low molecular weight polar compound represented by formula (1):

M-P(1)

In formula (1), M is a nonpolar group having 1 or more carbons, and P is a polar group.

The present invention is a liquid crystal composition having negative dielectric anisotropy containing one or two or more of compounds represented by General Formula (i), and is also a liquid crystal display element using the liquid crystal composition. The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal composition with a large refractive index anisotropy (n), a low rotational viscosity (.sub.1), a large elastic constant (K.sub.33), a high voltage holding ratio (VHR), and which has a negative dielectric anisotropy (), and a liquid crystal display element which, when using the liquid crystal composition, has a high response speed with excellent display quality in which display defects such as drop marks, burn-in, and display unevenness are absent or suppressed.

Shown is a method for producing a liquid crystal capsule having a particle diameter of 30 to 150 nanometers, and a method for producing a liquid crystal capsule without using a homogenizer. The disclosure concerns a method for producing a liquid crystal capsule, including a step of preparing an emulsion by performing phase inversion emulsification of a mixed material obtained by mixing a liquid crystal composition, a monomer, a surfactant, and a polymerization initiator; and a step of producing a liquid crystal capsule by applying a coacervation method to the emulsion. The disclosure also concerns a liquid crystal capsule having a liquid crystal composition, a surfactant and a capsule wall, wherein the capsule wall has a closed curved shape, the liquid crystal composition and a hydrophobic moiety of the surfactant are arranged inside the capsule wall, and a hydrophilic moiety of the surfactant is arranged outside the capsule wall.

The present invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium based on a mixture of polar compounds having negative dielectric anisotropy (), which is distinguished by the fact that it has a value for the ratio .sub.1/n.sup.2 in the range 6-45 with a clearing point of >60 C. and a of 2.3. Media of this type are particularly suitable for electro-optical displays having active-matrix addressing based on the ECB, PA LCD, FFS or IPS effect.

Compound (1) is provided.

R.sup.1-MES-Sp.sup.1-P.sup.1(1)

In compound (1), R.sup.1 is alkyl having 1 to 15 carbons; MES is a mesogen group having an at least one ring; Sp.sup.1 is a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 10 carbons, and in the alkylene, at least one hydrogen is replaced by group (1a); P.sup.1 is group (1e) or (1f);

##STR00001##

wherein, M.sup.1, M.sup.2, M.sup.3 and M.sup.4 are hydrogen; Sp.sup.2 and Sp.sup.3 are a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 10 carbons; R.sup.2 is alkyl having 1 to 15 carbons; R.sup.3 is group (1g), (1h) or (1i);

##STR00002##

wherein, Sp.sup.4 and Sp.sup.5 are a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 10 carbons; S.sup.1 is >CH, and S.sup.2 is >C<; and X is OH.

A liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal composition, requiring neither an alignment film nor alignment treatment on a substrate. The problem is solved by a low molecular weight polar compound for homogeneously aligning a liquid crystal medium relative to the substrate, for example, the low molecular weight polar compound represented by formula (1).

Formula 95

M-P(1)

In formula (1), M is a nonpolar group having 1 or more carbons, and P is a polar group.