An object of the present invention is to provide a light-absorbing anisotropic film having an excellent degree of alignment of a dichroic azo coloring agent; an optical laminate including the same; and an image display device using the same. The light-absorbing anisotropic film according to an embodiment of the present invention is a light-absorbing anisotropic film which is formed of a liquid crystal composition containing a dichroic azo coloring agent compound, a liquid crystalline compound, and a compound represented by Formula (1) and has a front transmittance of 60% or less, and in which a content mass ratio of the dichroic azo coloring agent compound to the liquid crystalline compound is 5% to 35% by mass.

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Self-aligned liquid crystal materials and structures are disclosed. The structures can exhibit piezoelectric and flexoelectric properties.

A polar compound having high chemical stability, high capability of aligning liquid crystal molecules, high solubility in a liquid crystal composition, and a large voltage holding ratio when the compound is used in a liquid crystal display device; and a composition containing the compound. The compound is represented by formula (1). In formula (1), for example, P.sup.1 is a group represented by any one of formulas (1b) to (1i), P.sup.2 is a group represented by formula (1d), Sp.sup.1 and Sp.sup.2 are a single bond, Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2, Z.sup.3, Z.sup.4 and Z.sup.5 are COO, and ring A.sup.1, ring A.sup.2, ring A.sup.3 and ring A.sup.4 are 1,4-phenylene:

##STR00001##

Solid foam structures having multiple compartments comprising mesogenic ligand-functionalized nanoparticles are provided. Compositions that include these structures, as well as methods of making the structures are also provided. The structures, compositions and methods find use in a variety of applications, such as, photonics, luminescent coatings and multi-compartment encapsulation technologies.

A liquid crystal composition contains a side chain type polymer liquid crystalline compound which can form a light absorption anisotropic film having a high alignment degree and has excellent solubility in a general-purpose solvent, a light absorption anisotropic film obtained using the composition, a laminate, and an image display device. The composition includes: a side chain type polymer liquid crystalline compound; and a dichroic substance, in which the compound is a copolymer having a repeating unit (1) containing a mesogenic group with a molecular weight of greater than 280 and a repeating unit (2) with a molecular weight of 280 or less, a content of the repeating unit (2) is less than 14% by mass with respect to a total mass of the compound, and a content of the dichroic substance is greater than 2% by mass with respect to a total solid content of the composition.

Self-aligned liquid crystal materials and structures are disclosed. The structures can exhibit piezoelectric and flexoelectric properties.

Object To provide a tilt-imparted liquid crystal display element that is obtained through UV irradiation of a polymerizable liquid crystal composition, whose drive voltage can be reduced with a fast decay time maintained, and that is well balanced between characteristics, such as decay time, drive voltage, and transmittance. A polymerizable liquid crystal composition for use in it is also provided. Solution A liquid crystal display element has polymer networks formed in the liquid crystal phase 5 in FIG. 3. The polymer networks are formed by polymerizing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition that contains, as essential ingredients, a radically polymerizable monomer component (A), a liquid crystal material (B), and a polymerization initiator (C) that has a molecular structure resulting from substituting any two or more hydrogen atoms in the aromatic nucleus in the molecular structure of an alkylphenone-based photopolymerization initiator, for example with a C1-10 alkyl group (i).

The new media exhibit a ferroelectric nematic phase preferably at ambient temperature. They preferably comprise one or more compounds selected from the group of compounds of formulae IA, IB and IC,

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in which the variable groups have the meanings indicated in the text and in the claims. Use of the media for providing ferroelectric nematic materials and a method of operation of an electro-optical device are presented. The media may be useful for energy-saving displays and electrical appliances.

New compounds and their mixtures enable the formation of the ferroelectric nematic liquid crystalline phase at ambient temperature. Compounds of the formula I are presented,

##STR00001## in which the variable groups have the meanings indicated in claim 1. Liquid crystal media comprise at least one compound of the formula I.

Solid foam structures having multiple compartments comprising mesogenic ligand-functionalized nanoparticles are provided. Compositions that include these structures, as well as methods of making the structures are also provided. The structures, compositions and methods find use in a variety of applications, such as, photonics, luminescent coatings and multi-compartment encapsulation technologies.