The present invention aims to provide a polymerizable compound that has high storage stability without causing crystal precipitation when added to a polymerizable composition and to provide a polymerizable composition containing the polymerizable compound. A polymer film produced by polymerization of the polymerizable composition has a low haze, high thickness uniformity, low occurrence of nonuniform orientation, high surface hardness, high adhesiveness, and good appearances and fewer orientation defects even after ultraviolet irradiation. The present invention also aims to provide a polymer produced by polymerization of the polymerizable composition and an optically anisotropic body produced from the polymer.

The present invention aims to provide a polymerizable compound that has high storage stability without causing crystal precipitation when added to a polymerizable composition and to provide a polymerizable composition containing the polymerizable compound. A polymer film produced by polymerization of the polymerizable composition has a low haze, high thickness uniformity, low occurrence of nonuniform orientation, high surface hardness, high adhesiveness, and good appearances and fewer orientation defects even after ultraviolet irradiation. The present invention also aims to provide a polymer produced by polymerization of the polymerizable composition and an optically anisotropic body produced from the polymer.

The present invention relates to compounds that have ultraviolet light absorbing properties, and which can also have mesogenic properties. The present invention also relates to compositions that include one or more such compounds, and to articles of manufacture that include one or more such compounds, such as optical elements that include an optical substrate and a layer that includes at least one compound of the present invention.

An optical film of the present invention includes a positive A-plate and a positive C-plate, in which the Re(450), Re(550), and Re(650) of the positive A-plate satisfy the relationship of Re(450)≦Re(550)≦Re(650), the positive A-plate is formed of a cured product of a composition including the liquid crystal compound A, and the positive C-plate is formed of a cured product of a composition including the liquid crystal compound C.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device that includes a particular color filter containing a material containing chiral liquid crystals and a particular pigment. The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device that can prevent a decrease in the voltage holding ratio (VHR) of a liquid crystal layer and solve the problem of display defects, such as white spots, variations in alignment, and burn-in. Because liquid crystal display devices according to the present invention characteristically prevent a decrease in the voltage holding ratio (VHR) of a liquid crystal layer and reduces the occurrence of display defects, such as burn-in, the liquid crystal display devices are particularly useful as liquid crystal display devices in IPS mode and FFS mode for active-matrix driving and can be applied to household electrical appliances, automobiles, production facilities, measuring and analytical instruments, and communication devices.

A diacetylene-based lyotropic liquid crystal mixture according to an embodiment includes by mixing diacetylene-based compounds containing iodide and triiodide Chemical Formula 1 and Chemical Formula 2. The lyotropic liquid crystal mixture may be prepared by synthesizing an [X]—C—R.sub.m-[D]-R.sub.n compound, synthesizing an [A.sup.+X.sup.−]—C—R.sub.m-D-R.sub.n compound, and synthesizing an [A.sup.+B.sup.−]—C—R.sub.m-D-R.sub.n compound. A thin polarizing film may be prepared through simple coating of a lyotropic liquid crystal mixture prepared by mixing diacetylene-based compounds containing iodide and triiodide.

A polymerisable LC material comprising one or more di- or multireactive mesogenic compounds and one or more compounds of formula UVI,

##STR00001##

and one or more compounds of formula UVII,

##STR00002##

Further, a method for its preparation, a polymer film with improved thermal durability and UV stability obtainable from a corresponding polymerisable LC material, a method of preparation of such polymer film, and the use of such polymer film and said polymerisable LC material for optical, electro-optical, decorative or security devices.

The invention relates to a polymerisable LC material comprising one or more di- or multireactive mesogenic compounds and one or more compounds of formula UVI,

##STR00001##

wherein the individual radicals have one of the meaning as given in the claims. Furthermore, the present invention relates also to a method for its preparation, a polymer film with improved thermal durability and UV stability obtainable from a 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, electrooptical, decorative or security devices.

Provided are polymers, which may be crosslinked to form a main-chain liquid crystalline (LC) hydrogel with a three-dimensional network. Also provided are methods of using the hydrogel as a substrate for tissue culture. For example, the hydrogel may organize into LC phases and encapsulate a plurality of cells within its polymeric network. In some embodiments, human stem cells are cultured using the present method with good viability and demonstrate faster proliferation in the present LC hydrogel compared to a non-LC gel.

A diacetylene-based lyotropic liquid crystal mixture according to an embodiment includes by mixing diacetylene-based compounds containing iodide and triiodide Chemical Formula 1 and Chemical Formula 2. The lyotropic liquid crystal mixture may be prepared by synthesizing an [X]—C—R.sub.m-[D]-R.sub.n compound, synthesizing an [A.sup.+X.sup.−]—C—R.sub.m-D-R.sub.n compound, and synthesizing an [A.sup.+B.sup.−]—C—R.sub.m-D-R.sub.n compound. A thin polarizing film may be prepared through simple coating of a lyotropic liquid crystal mixture prepared by mixing diacetylene-based compounds containing iodide and triiodide.