A polymer having a partial structure formed by performing radical polymerization with respect to a compound having a mesogenic group derived from at least one type of liquid crystal compound selected from a rod-like liquid crystal compound and a disk-like liquid crystal compound, and two or more polymerizable groups, in which the polymer is a branched polymer, and a composition containing the polymer, an optical film, and a liquid crystal display device.

A liquid crystalline polymer composition of the present invention comprises: about 10-50% by weight of a liquid crystalline polymer, about 20-60% by weight of an aromatic sulfone polymer, and about 10-50% by weight of an inorganic filler having a pH of about 7-12. The liquid crystalline polymer composition has excellent fluidity, rigidity, and abrasion resistance, and generates little dust.

A bistable liquid crystal film, comprising: a first transparent flexible film coated with conductive material; a second transparent flexible film; at least one layer of liquid crystal dispersions disposed between the transparent flexible conductive films; and an ionic dopant disposed within the layer of liquid crystal dispersions. The bistable liquid crystal film is characterized as having two modes, a transparent mode and a scattering mode, with transitions between the two modes being accomplished by voltage pulses with no need to maintain a voltage across the film in order to maintain it in a particular mode. The ionic dopant is an ionic mesogen, preferably an ionic metal-organic mesogen.

A bistable liquid crystal film, comprising: a first transparent flexible film coated with conductive material; a second transparent flexible film; at least one layer of liquid crystal dispersions disposed between the transparent flexible conductive films; and an ionic dopant disposed within the layer of liquid crystal dispersions. The bistable liquid crystal film is characterized as having two modes, a transparent mode and a scattering mode, with transitions between the two modes being accomplished by voltage pulses with no need to maintain a voltage across the film in order to maintain it in a particular mode. The ionic dopant is an ionic mesogen, preferably an ionic metal-organic mesogen.

Embodiments of improved methods are provided to form ordered structures on a surface of a substrate using direct self-assembly (DSA) of ionic liquid crystals (ILCs). More specifically, various embodiments of methods are provided to control the pitch of a layered structure formed on a substrate surface via self-assembly of ILCs having cation head groups, alkyl tail groups and anions. In the embodiments disclosed herein, the pitch of the layered structure is controlled by: (a) controlling the cation/anion charge ratio of the cation head groups and anions included within the ILCs, and/or (b) adding an ionic liquid to a solution comprising the ILCs.

Embodiments of improved methods are provided to form ordered structures on a surface of a substrate using direct self-assembly (DSA) of ionic liquid crystals (ILCs). More specifically, various embodiments of methods are provided to control the pitch of a layered structure formed on a substrate surface via self-assembly of ILCs having cation head groups, alkyl tail groups and anions. In the embodiments disclosed herein, the pitch of the layered structure is controlled by: (a) controlling the cation/anion charge ratio of the cation head groups and anions included within the ILCs, and/or (b) adding an ionic liquid to a solution comprising the ILCs.

A liquid crystalline polymer composition of the present invention comprises: about 10-50% by weight of a liquid crystalline polymer, about 20-60% by weight of an aromatic sulfone polymer, and about 10-50% by weight of an inorganic filler having a pH of about 7-12. The liquid crystalline polymer composition has excellent fluidity, rigidity, and abrasion resistance, and generates little dust.

Embodiments of improved methods are provided to form ordered structures on a surface of a substrate using direct self-assembly (DSA) of ionic liquid crystals (ILCs). More specifically, various embodiments of methods are provided to control the phase of an ordered structure formed on a substrate surface via self-assembly of ILCs having cation head groups, alkyl tail groups having a plurality of hydrocarbons and anions. In the embodiments disclosed herein, the phase of the ordered structure is controlled by replacing the hydrogen (H) atoms of the hydrocarbons included the alkyl chain with larger sized functional groups. Adding larger sized functional groups to the alkyl chain changes the phase of the ordered structure by: (a) increasing the separation between the hydrophilic (cation) and hydrophobic (alkyl tail) groups of the ILCs, and (b) changing the orientation of alkyl tails within the tail groups of the self-assembled ILCs.

A liquid crystal composition contains a polymerizable organic compound and a liquid crystal compound. The liquid crystal compound has a solid phase-nematic phase transition temperature or smectic phase-nematic phase transition temperature of 0 C. or lower. The content of the polymerizable organic compound having a glass transition temperature of 0 C. or lower based on a total amount of the liquid crystal composition is 10 to 60 mass %. A liquid crystal element has a liquid crystal layer, and the liquid crystal layer contains such a liquid crystal composition.

A liquid crystal composition contains a polymerizable organic compound and a liquid crystal compound. The liquid crystal compound has a solid phase-nematic phase transition temperature or smectic phase-nematic phase transition temperature of 0 C. or lower. The content of the polymerizable organic compound having a glass transition temperature of 0 C. or lower based on a total amount of the liquid crystal composition is 10 to 60 mass %. A liquid crystal element has a liquid crystal layer, and the liquid crystal layer contains such a liquid crystal composition.