The invention provides a lighting device (10) comprising a light source (100) configured to generate light source light (101) and a light converter element (200), wherein the light converter element (200) comprises a light transmissive matrix (205), wherein the light transmissive matrix (205) comprises: (i) a first luminescent material (210) configured to convert at least part of one or more of (a) the light source light (101) and (b) optionally a second luminescent material light (221) from an optional second luminescent material (220) into a first luminescent material light (211); and (ii) a thermo-responsive liquid crystalline compound (250); wherein the light transmissive matrix (205) is configured in thermal contact with the light source (100), and wherein the lighting device (10) is further configured to provide lighting device light (11) comprising said light source light (101), said first luminescent material light (210) and optionally said second luminescent material light (221), and wherein said light converter element is arranged for changing one or more of the color and color temperature of the lighting device light with the electrical power provided to the light source.

The invention relates to a composition comprising i) A colorant ii) A radical generating photoinitiator, iii) A polymer wherein at least 40 mol-% of the repeating units are units according to formula (I), [Formula should be inserted herm] wherein R.sup.1 independently of each occurrence is H or CH.sub.3, R.sup.2 is a group of formula (II), [Formula should be inserted here] wherein L is a linking group, n is 0 or 1, and X independently of each occurrence is O or CH.sub.2, R.sup.3 independently of each occurrence is selected from H, COOH, and a group of formula (II), iv) 0.0 to 10.0% by weight, calculated on the on the weight of the polymer iii), of one or ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable monomers having a molecular weight of less than 1500 g/mol.

##STR00001##

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.

A liquid crystal device and a method of forming a liquid crystal device are disclosed. The device comprises a layer of liquid crystal material bounded by a first cell wall and a second cell wall, the first cell wall being provided with a first electrode structure and the second cell wall being provided with a second electrode structure. The first cell wall and the second cell wall are separated by a distance d.sub.c, wherein the layer of liquid crystal material is associated with a plurality of defect generation sites. Defects are generated by the defect generation sites, increasing switching speed and decreasing the time it takes to switch large area displays employing such devices.

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

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

A liquid crystal composition contains liquid crystals containing one kind of or two or more kinds of silicone surfactants, a phenyl-modified silicone oil and water. The liquid crystal composition of the present invention contains 5 to 95% by weight in total of one kind of or two or more kinds of silicone surfactants, 0.1 to 90% by weight of a phenyl-modified silicone oil and 0.1 to 90% by weight of water. The liquid crystal composition of the present invention can solubilize hydrophobic compounds having poor solubility (for example, hydrocarbon oils such as squalane, fatty acids such as oleic acid and lipoic acid and ester oils such as cetyl isooctanoate) and is thus useful, for example, as toiletry materials and cosmetic materials.

A compound of Formula (I)
D-S.sup.1-A-S.sup.2—B.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 relates to optionally polymerizable mesogen compounds that include a polyvalent non-mesogenic core X to which is bonded three or four separate extensions, where each extension independently includes, in sequence, a linking group -L-, and a mesogen group -[Mesogen]. The mesogen compounds are represented by the following Formula (I), With reference to Formula (I), v is 3 or 4; t is 0 or 1; at least one Mesogen includes at least four cyclic groups; each -L- independently has an average chain length of at least 15 bonds; and at least one -L- has an average chain length of at least 25. Also described are liquid crystal compositions that include such mesogen compounds, and optical elements that include such mesogen compounds.

A self-aligning material, a self-aligning liquid crystal material, and a liquid crystal panel are provided. The self-aligning material is a nano-surfactant having a conductive material-philic end and a liquid crystal material-philic end, which can align liquid crystal molecules. Thus, it is unnecessary to dispose a polyimide alignment layer in the liquid crystal panel. As a result, the polyimide alignment layer and its manufacturing are saved, and production cost is reduced.