Provided are: an infrared control film in which an infrared light transmittance changes depending on the temperature, a tint in a front direction is excellent, and durability is excellent; and a window including the infrared control film. The infrared control film includes: a liquid crystal layer; and two substrates each of which includes at least one of an ultraviolet absorber or a colorant, in which the liquid crystal layer is disposed between the two substrates, the substrate includes 0.001 mass % or higher of the ultraviolet absorber or the colorant, a transmittance of the infrared control film at 0 C. with respect to an incidence ray at 1000 nm at a polar angle of 0 is higher than 70%, a transmittance of the infrared control film at 40 C. with respect to an incidence ray at 1000 nm at a polar angle of 0 is lower than 60%, and the following expressions are satisfied.

0.8<a1<1.2

0.8<b1<1.2 a1=(Transmittance of Incidence Ray at 450 nm at Polar Angle of 0)/(Transmittance of Incidence Ray at 550 nm at Polar Angle of 0) b1=(Transmittance of Incidence Ray at 550 nm at Polar Angle of 0)/(Transmittance of Incidence Ray at 700 nm at Polar Angle of 0)

The present invention provides a solar reflective-absorptive device, comprising: an IR reflective transparent conductive film; a flexible transparent conductive film; a layer of liquid crystal dispersion in polymer matrix or polymer dispersion in liquid crystal domains allocated between said flexible IR reflective transparent conductive film and said flexible transparent conductive film. The liquid crystal dispersion is in polymer matrix or polymer dispersion domains, and comprises metalorganic dye compositions with absorption in the visible and/or IR regions of solar spectrum. The aforesaid liquid crystal dispersion consists of nematic mixtures and/or cholestenc mixtures comprising of chiral mesogenic or none-mesogenic chiral materials in nematic for IR absorption and/or broadband cholesteric materials for dynamic (electrically tunable) IR and visible absorption. The switching capability of the device will be carried out through reorientation of the liquid crystal dispersion sandwiched between said at least one transparent IR-reflective flexible conductive support and said transparent flexible conductive support.

The present invention relates to a light modulation element comprising a pair of opposing transparent substrates, which are provided with an electrode structure provided on the inner surface of each substrate and a cholesteric liquid crystalline medium comprising one or more particles.

The invention further relates to the use of a light modulation element as described above and below in optical or electro optical components or devices.

The invention further relates to an optical or electro-optical component or device, comprising a light modulation element as described above and below.

The present invention presents a switching layer S for use in a switching element which has forwards-scattering properties in at least one switching state. Furthermore, a switching element which comprises the switching layer S and a window element which includes the switching element are presented.

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.

A structural interface having an adaptive liquid crystal material that is positioned to receive electromagnetic radiation and adapted to reflect a selective band of the received electromagnetic radiation so as to help with cooling of a structure in the summer and/or heating of the structure in the winter. The adaptive liquid crystal material is designed to change its selective reflection band when exposed to an activating temperature or an activating light or both. Depending on the interior and/or exterior conditions, the adaptive liquid crystal material has one or more selective reflection bands with a peak wavelength selected from the following: within a sunlight wavelength span, outside a thermal infrared wavelength span, outside the sunlight wavelength span, or within the thermal infrared wavelength span. The structural interface may be applied to an exterior or interior surface of a structural envelop or be integrated into a structural envelope material.

Design and applications of a class of water-soluble small molecules represented by formula 1. The molecules, in their dilute aqueous solutions, exhibit lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase transitions near room temperature, inducing a temperature triggered switching of opacity. Further, disclosed is a scalable smart window, akin to a radiative energy management system, that can be incorporated into the built environment for imparting energy efficiency. The window fabrication is facile wherein the aqueous solution is sandwiched between two transparent glass panes to enable modulation of light and heat transmission. The dynamic window of present invention represents with multifarious applications in developing scalable, smart energy management systems for indoor building environments is envisioned to be a major contribution towards cost effective smart glass technologies.

##STR00001##

The application relates to a liquid-crystalline medium comprising at least one dichroic dye having a rylene structure which absorbs red light. The application furthermore relates to a device, preferably a device for the regulation of the passage of energy through a light-transmitting area, which contains the liquid-crystalline medium.

The present application relates to a liquid-crystalline material which comprises at least one dye compound and at least one compound of a formula (IA) or (IB). The liquid-crystalline material is suitable for use in optical switching devices, in particular in devices for the homogeneous regulation of the passage of light through an area.

The present invention relates to a device for regulating the passage of energy through a light-transmitting area, comprising a first polarization layer, a second polarization layer and a switching layer which is arranged between the two polarization layers and changes the polarization properties of polarized light as a function of temperature, where the two polarization layers are characterized by a suitable choice of their transmission in the transmission direction and their degree of polarization. The invention furthermore relates to a process for the production of the device according to the invention and to the use of the device for influencing light transmission and/or the passage of energy into an interior as a function of temperature.