Abstract: A method of producing an infrared light-reflecting film includes a coating step of coating a polymerizable liquid crystal composition including a polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal compound (A), a chiral agent having an HTP of 50 ?m?1 or less (B), a monofunctional monomer (C), and an organic solvent (D) on a substrate, an alignment step of aligning the polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal compound by heating to form a cholesteric liquid crystal phase, and an irradiation step of irradiating the polymerizable liquid crystal composition with actinic radiation to fix the cholesteric liquid crystal phase and form an infrared light-reflecting layer, wherein the amount of a residual solvent after the alignment step is controlled to 0.20 g/m2 or more.

Abstract: To provide an infrared-light reflective plate having improved selective reflectivity characteristics, there is provided an infrared-light reflective plate reflects an infrared-light of equal to or longer than 700 nm including a substrate, and, on at least one of surfaces of the substrate, at least four light-reflective layers, X1, X2, X3 and X4, formed of a fixed cholesteric liquid crystal phase, and disposed in this order from the substrate, wherein the reflection center wavelengths of the light-reflective layers X1 and X2 are same with each other and are ?1 (nm), and the two layers reflect circularly-polarized light in opposite directions; the reflection center wavelengths of the light-reflective layers X3 and X4 are same with each other and are ?2 (nm), and the two layers reflect circularly-polarized light in opposite directions; and ?1<?2 is satisfied.

Abstract: An infrared-light reflective plate reflects an infrared-light ?700 nm including a substrate of which fluctuation of retardation in plane at a wavelength of 1000 nm, Re(1000), ?20 nm, on a surface of the substrate, at least two light-reflective layers, X1 and X2, formed of a fixed cholesteric liquid crystal phase, and, on another surface of the substrate, at least two light-reflective layers, Y1 and Y2, formed of a fixed cholesteric liquid crystal phase. The reflection center wavelengths of X1 and X2 are both ?X1 (nm), and the two layers reflect circularly-polarized light in opposite directions; the reflection center wavelengths of Y1 and Y2 both ?Y1 (nm). The two layers reflect circularly-polarized light in opposite directions; ?X1??Y1; and refractive anisotropy of X1 and X2, ?nX1 and ?nX2 satisfy ?nX2<?nX1. Refractive anisotropy of the light reflective layers Y1 and Y2, ?nY1 and ?nY2 satisfy ?nY2<?nY1.

Abstract: A process stably produces a light reflective film with plural light reflective layers formed of a fixed cholesteric liquid crystal phase, having high transparency and excellent light-reflective characteristics. The process of preparing a light reflective film having at least two light reflective layers formed of a fixed cholesteric liquid crystal phase includes first allowing a curable liquid crystal composition to form a cholesteric liquid crystal phase on a first light reflective layer formed of a fixed cholesteric liquid crystal phase, then carrying out a curing reaction of the curable liquid crystal composition under an irradiation of an ultraviolet light to fix the cholesteric liquid-crystal phase, thereby to form a second light reflective layer. In the second step, the ultraviolet light is irradiated to the curable liquid crystal composition through a member capable of lowering at least the intensity of the ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 340 nm or shorter.

Abstract: A method of producing a light-reflecting film having a light-reflecting layer on a resin film and reflecting 30% or more of incident light of a wavelength in the range of 800 to 2000 nm, includes a step of curing a cholesteric liquid crystal phase to form the light-reflecting layer, the cholesteric liquid crystal phase is obtained by mixing a chiral agent having an HTP of 30 ?m?1 or more expressed by Expression 1 into a starting solution by an in-line mixing method while supplying the starting solution prepared by dissolving a curable liquid crystal compound in a solvent, coating the resin film with the resultant coating solution, and drying the resultant.

Abstract: A process for producing a light scattering sheet includes: a coating step of coating a transparent support with a coating solution prepared by dissolving a resin material including at least two kinds selected from polymers and monomers phase-separable with each other in a solvent to form a coating layer; and a drying step of drying the coating layer to form a phase separated concavity and convexity structure on the coating layer by spinodal decomposition, wherein, in the drying step, high speed drying is carried out at a drying speed of 3.0 g/m2·sec or more at a critical phase separation concentration of the coating layer applied to the transparent support.

Abstract: A light reflective film is produced by (a) forming a hard coat layer having a surface energy of less than 30 mN/m and a pencil hardness of at least 2H on a resin film, (b) applying a curable liquid crystal composition onto the surface of the opposite side, (c) drying the applied curable liquid crystal composition to be in a state of a cholesteric liquid crystal phase, (d) promoting the curing reaction to form a light reflective layer, and (e) repeating at least once the process of from (b) to (d).

Abstract: A light reflective film is produced by (a) forming an antistatic layer having a surface energy of at least 30 mN/m on a resin film, (b) applying a curable liquid crystal composition onto the surface of the opposite side, (c) drying the applied curable liquid crystal composition to be in a state of a cholesteric liquid crystal phase, (d) promoting the curing reaction to form a light reflective layer, and (e) repeating at least once the process of from (b) to (d).

Abstract: A light scattering sheet includes: a transparent support; and a light scattering layer on the transparent support, the light scattering layer having a phase-separated convexo-concave structure formed by spinodal decomposition of a solution containing two or more resin materials capable of phase-separation from each other are dissolved in a solvent. In the light scattering layer, the phase-separated convexo-concave structure is formed into a sea-island structure of two or more resin materials including a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, and a plurality of domains constituting the islands have random shapes mainly having a string shape, and a transmitted image definition measured according to JTS K 7374 using an optical comb having a width of 2.0 mm is 10% or more and less than 25%.

Abstract: A process for producing a light-reflective film is disclosed. The process comprises (a) applying a curable liquid crystal composition to a first film having a thickness of d1; (b) drying the applied curable liquid crystal composition to form a cholesteric liquid crystal phase; (c) carrying out a curing reaction of the curable liquid crystal composition and fixing the cholesteric liquid crystal phase to form a lower layer; (d) repeating the set of the steps (a)-(c) three or more times on the lower layer to form a light-reflective multilayer having four or more layers of a fixed cholesteric liquid crystal phase; and (e) transferring the light-reflective multilayer, formed on the first film, onto a second film having a thickness of d2 which is smaller than d1; wherein the first film, fulfilling the condition of formula (1), is used. ( d 1 ) 2 × ( Y 1 ) ( d 3 ) × ( 1 - P 1 ) ? 0.

Abstract: A novel method of forming a thin film is disclosed. The method comprises spraying a spray liquid prepared by dissolving and/or dispersing a solute in a solvent to form liquid droplets; concentrating the liquid droplets by vaporizing the solvent contained therein; and depositing the concentrated liquid droplets on a substrate or a layer formed on the substrate. In the method, liquid droplets having solid content concentration C2 are deposited after liquid droplets having solid content concentration C1 are deposited, provided that C1>C2 is satisfied.

Abstract: A process of preparing a lamination film comprising two or more layers of a fixed cholesteric liquid-crystal phase is disclosed. The process comprises (a) applying a coating liquid of a curable liquid crystal composition comprising a rod-like liquid crystal compound, an alignment-control agent capable of controlling an alignment of the rod-like liquid crystal compound and a solvent to a surface; (b) drying the applied curable liquid crystal composition to form a cholesteric liquid-crystal phase; (c) carrying out a curing reaction of the composition and fixing the cholesteric liquid-crystal phase, thereby to form a lower layer; and (d) repeating the steps (a) to (c) on the lower layer, thereby to form an upper layer; wherein at least a part of the alignment-control agent in the lower layer diffuses into the upper layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an extrusion coating apparatus which can control the coating shape in end portions regardless of the coating thickness and can suppress high edges. The extrusion coating apparatus includes a coating width regulating plate inserted into both end portions of a slit, a slit die discharging the coating solution from a discharge opening of the slit, and a chamber depressurizing in a web running direction on an upstream side. The coating width regulating plate has a protruded portion bent toward the web downstream side and facing the web. The coating solution is applied to the web in a state in which the coating solution is oozed on a web facing surface of the protruded portion of the coating width regulating plate by depressurization of the chamber.

Abstract: A method of producing a laminate film includes coating a support with coating solutions with at least two monolayer extrusion dies to provide layers. A difference in solubility parameter between the coating solution and a solute in the adjoining layer ?0.1 for respective coating solutions. Viscosity of the downstream side die coating solution is lower than that of an upstream side die. Each coating solution has a Capillary number Ca<1.7. A difference in surface tension |?2??1| between the adjoining layers satisfies |?2??1|>0.5 [mN/m], where ?1, ?2 are surface tensions of coating solution from upstream and downstream side dies, respectively. A ratio of a coating thickness h1 [?m] of the coating solution for an upper layer and a distance L [?m] of the upper layer from the support surface satisfies h1/L<0.14. Distance between discharge nozzles is ?1 mm and ?700 mm.

Abstract: A heat shield comprising a first light-reflective layer, having a reflectance peak both in a wavelength range of from 400 nm to less than 850 nm and in a wavelength range of from more than 850 nm to 1300 nm and satisfying C>A>B, is disclosed. “A” means the maximum reflectance in the wavelength range of from 400 nm to less than 850 nm; “B” means the reflectance at a wavelength of 850 nm; “C” means the maximum reflectance in the wavelength range of from more than 850 nm to 1300 nm; and “B” is equal to or less than 50%.

Abstract: A method for producing an antiglare film includes: a step of preparing coating liquids comprising components capable of being unevenly distributed in an antiglare layer-forming coating liquid and a low-refractive index layer-forming coating liquid, respectively; a coating step of applying the low-refractive index layer-forming coating liquid as an upper layer and the antiglare layer-forming coating liquid as a lower layer on a support to form a coating layer; and a drying step of drying the coating layer and making the coating layer cause phase-separation so as to unevenly distribute the components and form an antiglare layer and a low-refractive index layer. By the production method, an antiglare film which suppresses reflection and glaring of external light in a display and whitening due to irregular reflection can be produced at a low cost.

Abstract: A coating apparatus includes: a slot die configured to apply coating solution on a support by discharging the coating solution from a tip of a slot and forming a coating solution bead in a clearance between the tip of the slot and the support; a pipe through which the coating solution is fed to a pocket of the slot die; an orifice formed in the pipe at a position nearer a circumference of a circular cross section in a radial direction of the pipe in relation to a center of the circular cross section; a forward tapered inlet channel which is formed at an entrance side of the orifice in the pipe and whose aperture narrows to the orifice; a rearward tapered outlet channel which is formed at an exit side of the orifice in the pipe and whose aperture grows toward a downstream.

Abstract: The method for producing an anti-glare film (10) includes a coating solution preparation step in which at least two mutually incompatible resin materials (54) are dissolved in at least one solvent to prepare a coating solution containing particles; a coating step in which the coating solution is coated on a support (16) to form a coating layer (52); a particle migration step in which the particles are made to migrate to the air-liquid interface of the coating layer (52) to be eccentrically located on the surface of the coating layer (52); and a drying step in which the coating layer (52) is dried and phase-separated to form an anti-glare layer (58) and, at the same time, a low refractive index layer (60) comprising the particles on top of the anti-glare layer (58).

Abstract: A process for producing an optical compensation film comprises a liquid crystal layer application step (10) of applying a liquid crystal layer coating solution containing a liquid crystal compound to an alignment layer on a surface of a transparent substrate (4c) that is continuously transported; a liquid crystal layer drying step (11) of drying the liquid crystal layer; a cooling and curing step of curing the liquid crystal layer while cooling the liquid crystal layer to a temperature lower than a drying temperature used in the drying step; and a heating and curing step of curing the alignment layer while heating the alignment layer to a temperature higher than a cooling temperature used in the cooling and curing step. The process enables the durability and damage resistance as well as the optical characteristics of the optical compensation film to be independently controlled.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a drying device which dries a coating film formed on a substrate with hot air, including an infrared radiator which heats the coating film at a temperature equal to or lower than the temperature of the hot air is provided. The hot air drying device includes the infrared radiator which heats the coating film. Accordingly, the temperature of the coating film in the initial drying stage can be quickly raised by the infrared radiator in comparison with a case in which the coating film is dried only with the hot air. Also, since the infrared radiator heats the coating film at a temperature equal to or lower than the hot air temperature, there is no risk of reducing the quality of the coating film by overheating the coating film. Accordingly, energy consumption can be reduced, and the drying speed can be increased.