The present application relates to a liquid-crystalline material comprising a sterically hindered N-oxide and a dye. The invention furthermore relates to the use of the liquid-crystalline material in an optical switching device for regulation of the passage of sunlight.

The present invention relates to thiadiazoloquinoxaline derivatives of the formula I, ##STR00001##
in which R.sup.11, R.sup.12, A.sup.11, A.sup.12, A.sup.21, A.sup.22, Z.sup.11, Z.sup.12, Z.sup.21, Z.sup.22, W, X.sup.11, X.sup.12, r and s have the meanings indicated in Claim 1, to processes and intermediates for the preparation thereof, to the use of the compounds of the formula I for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in liquid-crystal media and in devices for regulating the passage of energy from an outside space into an inside space, and to these LC media and the devices comprising these media.

The present application relates to mixtures which have liquid-crystalline properties. The application furthermore relates to the use of the mixtures in devices which regulate the transmission of light through an area element.

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 composite that contains a liquid crystal composition satisfying at least one of characteristics such as high maximum temperature, low minimum temperature, small viscosity, large optical anisotropy and large positive dielectric anisotropy, and that is suitable for dimming, or having a suitable balance regarding at least two of the characteristics; and a liquid crystal dimming device having the liquid crystal composite. The liquid crystal composite contains a polymer and a liquid crystal composition containing a specific compound having large positive dielectric anisotropy. The liquid crystal composite may further contain a specific compound having high maximum temperature or low minimum temperature; or a specific compound having large negative dielectric anisotropy.

The application relates to a device for regulating the entry of light into a room, which comprises a switchable layer of specific design comprising a twisted nematic liquid-crystalline medium and a dichroic compound.

A flexible liquid crystal optical shutter and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. A box body filled with a liquid crystal mixture is irradiated with ultraviolet light to form supporting column structures, which increases the bending resistance of the flexible liquid crystal optical shutter, and may improve the mechanical stability of the liquid crystal optical shutter while maintaining the haze of the flexible liquid crystal optical shutter. The manufacturing method is simple. After the manufactured flexible liquid crystal optical shutter is connected to a power supply, the brightness of the liquid crystal optical shutter may be adjusted by changing the magnitude of voltage applied, so that the liquid crystal optical shutter may replace curtains to some extent, solves some limitations of coated glass, and has a good application prospect in vehicle-mounted household glass windows and the like.

The present application relates to a device for regulating the passage of light which is characterised in that it comprises a layer comprising a liquid-crystalline mixture containing a characteristic structural element.

A light absorption anisotropic layer used in a viewing angle control system which has high image visibility from a desired direction and can sufficiently block images from other directions, an optical film, a viewing angle control system, and an image display device using the light absorption anisotropic layer. The light absorption anisotropic layer is formed of a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystalline compound, a dichroic substance, and an alignment agent, in which a content of the dichroic substance is 8.0% by mass or more with respect to a total solid content mass of the liquid crystal composition, and an angle ? between a transmittance central axis of the light absorption anisotropic layer and a normal direction of a surface of the light absorption anisotropic layer is 5? or more and less than 80?.

A patterned light-dimming glass and a preparation method therefor. The light-dimming glass comprises two oppositely disposed transmitting conductive substrates that are packaged to form a regulating area (6); each of the two transmitting conductive substrates comprises a substrate (1) and an electrode layer (2) installed on a surface opposite to the substrate (1); and at least one of the two electrode layers (2) is an electrode layer (2) having a pattern. When voltage is not applied to the transmitting conductive substrates, the light-dimming glass is transparent, and the pattern of the electrode layer (2) is displayed. The method for preparing the electrode layer (2) having a pattern comprises the steps of: preparing a whole electrode layer (2) on the substrate (1); coating a photoetching glue layer (3) on the whole electrode layer (2); preparing a photoetching plate (4) which has a pattern, and covering the the photoetching plate (4) over photoetching glue layer (3); exposing; developing; postbaking; and corroding the electrode layer (2) which is not covered by the photoetching glue layer (3), thus obtaining the electrode layer (2) having a pattern. By using said method to prepare the electrode layer (2), a pattern having an accuracy which achieves micron level may be prepared.