An electronic switching element is described having, in sequence, a first electrode, a molecular layer bonded to a substrate, and a second electrode. The molecular layer contains compounds of formula I, R.sup.1-(A.sup.1-Z.sup.1).sub.r—B.sup.1—(Z.sup.2-A.sup.2).sub.s-Sp-G, wherein A.sup.1, A.sup.2, B.sup.1, Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2, Sp, G, r, and s are as defined herein, in which a mesogenic radical is bonded to the substrate via a spacer group, Sp, by means of an anchor group, G. The switching element is suitable for production of components that can operate as a memristive device for digital information storage.

Thermally conductive electrically insulating compositions and structures and devices comprising such materials. In various embodiments, such materials comprise liquid crystal polymer and fillers, wherein the fillers comprise boron nitride and glass fiber. In various embodiments, the liquid crystal polymer is selected from the group consisting of semi-aromatic copolyesters, copolyamides, polyester-co-amides, and mixtures thereof.

A series of 8-(bisphenylethynyl)-ester flexible multiple ring-containing fluoroboron pyrrole liquid crystal dyes are synthesized by introducing a diphenylethynyl rigid structure at position 8 of a boron-dipyrromethene core via a Sonogashira coupling reaction, and a flexible multiple ring such as bicyclohexane, or cholesterol is connected to the biphenylethynyl via an esterification reaction. The dye compounds all have maximum emission wavelengths in methylene chloride concentrated around 525 nm, present green fluorescence, and show good dichroic colour ratios and ordered parameters in E7 liquid crystal. The liquid crystal compounds are in a liquid crystal intermediate phase within the range of 100-280° C., and may be used for manufacturing liquid crystal display products, especially as guest dyes for guest-host mode liquid crystal displays. The response time can be improved and a rapid response effect achieved when the compounds are added to E7 liquid crystal and used for a guest-host display mode.

The present invention provides a polymerizable liquid crystal composition containing at least one polymerizable liquid crystal compound (I) having one polymerizable functional group in its molecule, at least one polymerizable liquid crystal compound (II) having two polymerizable functional groups in its molecule, and at least one compound (III) having tree or more aromatic rings at least one of which is substituted by an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms. Also, the present invention provides an optically anisotropic body using the polymerizable liquid crystal composition of the present invention.

An object of the present invention is to provide a phase difference film having excellent alignment without the need for alignment treatment on a support, a method for manufacturing a phase difference film, a polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal display device. The phase difference film of the present invention includes a support, and a liquid crystal layer formed of a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystalline compound so as to be in contact with the support, in which a surface energy of a surface of the support on which the liquid crystal layer is formed is 45 mN/m or more and a non-polar dispersion force component included in the surface energy is 45 mN/m or more, the liquid crystalline compound is immobilized in an aligned state, and a contrast is more than 10000.

Provided are an atomic layer sheet that contains boron and oxygen as framework elements, is networked by nonequilibrium couplings having boron-boron bonds, and has a molar ratio of oxygen to boron (oxygen/boron) of less than 1.5, a laminated sheet containing a plurality of such atomic layer sheets and metal ions between ones of the sheets, and a thermotropic liquid crystal and a lyotropic liquid crystal containing these. In addition, there is provided a method for manufacturing an atomic layer sheet and/or a laminated sheet containing boron and oxygen, the method including: adding MBH.sub.4, where M represents an alkali metal ion, into a solvent containing an organic solvent in an inert gas atmosphere to prepare a solution; and exposing the solution to an atmosphere containing oxygen.

Thermally conductive electrically insulating compositions and structures and devices comprising such materials. In various embodiments, such materials comprise liquid crystal polymer and fillers, wherein the fillers comprise boron nitride and glass fiber. In various embodiments, the liquid crystal polymer is selected from the group consisting of semi-aromatic copolyesters, copolyamides, polyester-co-amides, and mixtures thereof.

Provided are a composition for a color conversion film, that contains at least two types of organic light-emitting materials which emit, by an excitation light, light having a longer wavelength than the excitation light and have peak wavelengths of light emission different from each other and at least one of a photopolymerizable compound or a compound having a crosslinkable group to which a protective group that is to be eliminated by heat is bonded; a color conversion film; a method for manufacturing a color conversion film; a backlight unit; and a liquid crystal display device.

An electronic switching element is described having, in sequence, a first electrode, a molecular layer bonded to a substrate, and a second electrode. The molecular layer contains compounds of formula I, R.sup.1-(A.sup.1-Z.sup.1).sub.r—B.sup.1—(Z.sup.2-A.sup.2).sub.s-Sp-G, wherein A.sup.1, A.sup.2, B.sup.1, Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2, Sp, G, r, and s are as defined herein, in which a mesogenic radical is bonded to the substrate via a spacer group, Sp, by means of an anchor group, G. The switching element is suitable for production of components that can operate as a memristive device for digital information storage.

A series of 8-(bisphenylethynyl)-ester flexible multiple ring-containing fluoroboron pyrrole liquid crystal dyes are synthesized by introducing a diphenylethynyl rigid structure at position 8 of a boron-dipyrromethene core via a Sonogashira coupling reaction, and a flexible multiple ring such as bicyclohexane, or cholesterol is connected to the biphenylethynyl via an esterification reaction. The dye compounds all have maximum emission wavelengths in methylene chloride concentrated around 525 nm, present green fluorescence, and show good dichroic colour ratios and ordered parameters in E7 liquid crystal. The liquid crystal compounds are in a liquid crystal intermediate phase within the range of 100-280° C., and may be used for manufacturing liquid crystal display products, especially as guest dyes for guest-host mode liquid crystal displays. The response time can be improved and a rapid response effect achieved when the compounds are added to E7 liquid crystal and used for a guest-host display mode.