The invention relates to a polymerisable LC material comprising one or more direactive mesogenic compounds selected from the group of compounds of formula I,

##STR00001## and one or more monoreactive mesogenic compounds selected from the group of compounds of formula II,

##STR00002## wherein the parameter A.sup.11, P.sup.11 to P.sup.21, R.sup.21, Sp.sup.11 to Sp.sup.21, X.sup.11 to X.sup.21, and Z.sup.11 to Z.sup.21 have one of the meanings as given in claim 1.

Furthermore, the present invention relates also to a method for its preparation, a polymer film with improved thermal durability obtainable from the corresponding polymerisable LC material, to a method of preparation of such polymer film, and to the use of such polymer film and said polymerisable LC material for optical, electro-optical, decorative or security devices.

The invention relates to a photoalignment composition comprising at least a single photoalignment polymer, preferably a homo- or a copolymer having at least one photoreactive group; and at least a single solvent of formula (I)
(RCOOR),
wherein R and R are independently from each other straight-chain or branched alkyl chain, with the proviso that at least one alkyl chain is branched. Further, the present invention relates to the use of this composition for coating or printing, especially for printing, more especially for inkjet or offset printing processes, and most especially for an offset printing process. In addition, the present invention relates to the use of the photoalignment composition for the preparation of orientation layers for liquid crystals and in the construction of unstructured and structured optical elements and multi-layer systems, especially liquid crystal displays, LCDs.

An electrically controlled smart window, which includes two light-transmitting substrates arranged oppositely, a power supply component and an in-between light-adjusting area. Hereinto the light-adjusting area is divided into a matrix of light-adjusting units by pixel wall(s), and every units are closely arranged in a grid shape. To the power supply component, an electrode is connected with the pixel wall, and another is localized on the center of light-adjusting unit and did with the light-transmitting substrate. Both surface-charged liquid crystal polymer particles and conductive filling liquid are filled into the medium between the two light-transmitting substrates. According to the present disclosure, cholesteric liquid crystal polymer microparticles with specific reflection band and surface charges are used as basic reflectors, thereby achieving the significant advantages of being easy to manufacture, low cost, and stable performance, without causing interference to electromagnetic signals.

A liquid crystal composition including a liquid crystal compound capable of expressing a birefringence with reverse wavelength distribution, a (meth)acrylic acid ester compound other than the liquid crystal compound, and a surfactant containing a fluorine atom, wherein a ratio Mw/Np of a molecular weight Mw of the (meth)acrylic acid ester compound relative to a number of electrons Np of the (meth)acrylic acid ester compound is 17 or more and 70 or less, and an amount of the surfactant relative to 100 parts by weight of a total of the liquid crystal compound and the (meth)acrylic acid ester compound is 0.11 part by weight or more and 0.29 part by weight or less.

A liquid crystal composition including: a polymerizable liquid crystal compound capable of expressing birefringence with inverse wavelength dispersion; a surfactant containing a fluorine atom; and a solvent, wherein the surfactant contains a fluorine atom at a ratio of 30% by weight or less in a molecule of the surfactant.

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 compound having an excellent rate of change in HTP caused by exposure is achieved and is represented by General Formula (1). In addition, a composition is formed of the compound, and a cured product, an optically anisotropic body, or a reflective film is obtained by curing the composition. ##STR00001##

A liquid-crystal composition containing a liquid crystal having an Fd-3m structure, wherein the liquid-crystal composition is formed by blending a surfactant (a), an oil agent (b), and water (c); the surfactant (a) is a surfactant that is capable of forming at least one structural body (x) selected from a hexagonal structural body and a pre-hexagonal structural body when mixed with the water (c); the oil agent (b) is an oil agent that does not convert all of the structural body (x) into a lamellar structural body, when mixed with the structural body (x); and a ratio between the surfactant (a) and the water (c) constituting the liquid-crystal composition is a ratio that forms the structural body (x) when mixing the surfactant (a) and the water (c).

A compound has an excellent rate of change in HTP caused by exposure. A liquid crystal composition is formed of the compound. A cured product, an optically anisotropic body, and a reflective film can be obtained by curing the liquid crystal composition. The compound is represented by General Formula (1): ##STR00001##

The present invention provides an optical film having a liquid crystal layer having excellent durability, and a liquid crystal film. The optical film of the present invention has an organic base material and a liquid crystal layer disposed on the organic base material, the liquid crystal layer contains a photo-alignment compound, and in the liquid crystal layer, the photo-alignment compound is unevenly distributed on a side of the organic base material.