Disclosed are a liquid crystal mixture and a temperature-responsive infrared reflection device made by using the liquid crystal mixture containing potassium laurate. Infrared light can pass through the device within a non-working temperature range, and a chiral dopant enables potassium laurate to form a cholesteric phase within a working temperature range. The birefringence value of the potassium laurate gradually increases with the increase of temperature between 12.5 C. and 26 C., so that the infrared reflection bandwidth of the device constantly increases. The birefringence value of the potassium laurate gradually decreases with the increase of temperature between 26 C. and 54.5 C., so that the infrared reflection bandwidth of the device constantly decreases. The infrared reflection bandwidth of the infrared reflection device can vary with temperature by adjusting the proportions of the ingredients of the liquid crystal mixture containing potassium laurate, so that the device can satisfy the demands of people which vary with the environment, and can be applied in many fields such as households and buildings.

A composition contains a first polyamic acid and a second polyamic acid. The first polyamic acid has at least one of a photoreactive functional group and a vertical alignment group. The second polyamic acid has a repeat unit that has a pendant alkoxysilyl group.

A liquid crystal emulsification method that can reduce formulation restriction and adjust the size of a dispersed phase with small variation in size of the dispersed phase, and a liquid crystal emulsion are provided. The liquid crystal emulsification method includes: adding a moisture content and/or an oil content at a predetermined ratio to a surfactant having an HLB falling within a predetermined range; and setting a temperature during formation of a dispersion or an emulsion to a predetermined temperature, to adjust a lamellar liquid crystal having a regular molecular arrangement in which the oil content and/or the moisture content are alternately arranged in a bilayer membrane formed from the surfactant.

A silicon-containing compound, liquid-crystal composition and a liquid-crystal display using the silicon-containing compound are provided. The silicon-containing compound has a structure represented by Formula (I):

##STR00001## wherein K, R.sup.1, A.sup.1, A.sup.2, A.sup.3, A.sup.4, Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2, Z.sup.3, L.sup.7, L.sup.8, L.sup.9, X.sup.6, X.sup.7, n.sup.1, n.sup.2, n.sup.3, and n.sup.4 are defined as in the specification.

The invention relates to a polymerizable LC medium with negative optical dispersion, a polymer film with negative optical dispersion obtainable from such a medium, and the use of the polymerizable LC medium and polymer film in optical, electro optical, electronic, semiconducting or luminescent components or devices.

The present invention relates to compounds which are suitable for use in electronic devices, preferably organic electroluminescent devices.

A compound of Formula (I)

D-S.sup.1-A-S.sup.2B.sup.1,Formula (I) wherein: A represents a conjugated chain of from 1 to 20 aromatic moieties independently selected from the group consisting of aromatic moieties, heteroaromatic moieties and E moieties, provided that A includes at least one E moiety, wherein E is selected from the group consisting of: E.sup.1 being a dibenzo[d,b]silole moiety of the structure:

##STR00001## E.sup.2 being a moiety of the structure:

##STR00002## and E.sup.3 being a moiety of the structure:

##STR00003## wherein E is connected in the conjugated chain of A and optionally to S.sup.1 or to S.sup.2 through covalent bonds at Y and Z; wherein each R is independently selected from the group consisting of straight chain or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.20 alkyl and C.sub.2-C.sub.20 alkenyl, optionally wherein from 1 to 5 CH.sub.2 groups are each replaced by an oxygen, provided that no acetal, ketal, peroxide or vinyl ether is present in the R group, and optionally wherein each H bonded to a C in each R group may independently be replaced by a halogen; wherein the X moieties are the same and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, straight chain or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl, straight chain or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkoxyl and a halogen, wherein each E moiety may have the same or different X moieties, wherein W is either an oxygen or sulfur atom, D represents a moiety having one or more cross-linkable functionalities, S.sup.1 and S.sup.2 are flexible linker groups; and B.sup.1 represents a moiety having one or more cross-linkable functionalities or a hydrogen atom, with the proviso that when B.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, D represents a moiety having at least two cross-linkable functionalities.

The present invention aims to provide a liquid crystal display device in which image sticking and stains are sufficiently reduced. The present invention relates to an alignment film including: a polymer, wherein the polymer is a polysiloxane or a polyvinyl and contains a silsesquioxane group. The present invention also relates to a polymer for use in the alignment film, the polymer containing a silsesquioxane group. The present invention also relates to a liquid crystal display device including: the alignment film; a pair of substrates; and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the substrates, wherein the alignment film is disposed between at least one of the substrates and the liquid crystal layer.

Nonlinear optical chromophore compositions which display lyotropic nematic liquid crystal phases in polar organic solvents and provide a mechanical anisotropic effect allowing for the formation of a non-centrosymmetric chromophore-polymer matrix without the application of an electric field.

The present invention relates to liquid crystalline media comprising one or more naphthothiadiazol derivatives of 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, L, r, s and t have the meanings indicated in claim 1, to the use of such liquid crystal media for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in devices for regulating the passage of energy from an outside space into an inside space, for example in windows.