Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical element including at least; two substrates oppositely arranged; a liquid disposed between the facing surfaces of the substrates; and a chargeable polymer disposed between the facing surfaces of the substrates for swelling or contracting by absorbing or releasing the liquid when an electric field is applied, wherein

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer gel composition including: at least two polymer compounds which interact with each other to form a polymer complex; and a liquid. One of the polymer compounds forms a three-dimensional crosslinked structure, at least one other polymer compound is compatible with the liquid, and at least a portion of the compatible polymer compound is included in the three-dimensional crosslinked structure. Preferably, when the polymer complex is disassembled or decomposed by stimuli, the polymer compound forming the three-dimensional crosslinked structure changes its volume by absorbing or releasing the liquid. The three-dimensional crosslinked structure is preferably in a particle shape. An optical device using such a polymer gel composition is also provided.

Abstract: Described is an optical element having plural electrodes and, disposed therebetween, a stimuli-responsive polymer gel, a liquid which can be absorbed therein and an ion supplying material. As the ion supplying material, preferred is a material showing a volumetric change, in the form of the element, of 0 to 100% under external stimuli. According to the present invention, a novel optical element showing a large change in light transmittance, reflectance or absorption amount and exhibits stable optical properties in repetition can be provided.

Abstract: Provided is a sensor material including at least a stimulus-responsive high polymer gel, a bio-substance-responsive material and a light modulation material. A sensor having at least the sensor material and an optical waveguide is also provided. Furthermore, provided are a detection method for a bio-substance using the sensor material in which a change in tone is detected on the basis of swelling or shrinking of the stimulus-responsive high polymer gel, and a detection method for transmitting light using a sensor material in which transmitting light is detected on the basis of swelling or shrinking of the stimulus-responsive high polymer gel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer gel composition including: a swelling liquid; and a polymer gel having characteristics of absorbing and releasing the swelling liquid due to a change in temperature to thereby change a volume thereof reversibly, and including a crosslinked polymer having at least a hydrogen bonding group, wherein the crosslinked polymer included in the polymer gel is a copolymer of at least two monomer components including a (meth)acrylamide or a mono-substituted derivative thereof as a monomer component (A) and a monomer different from the monomer component (A) as a monomer component (B). The invention also relates to an optical device, a resin composition and an optical film, all using the polymer gel composition.

Abstract: A polymer gel composition and an optical element using the same are provided. The polymer gel composition has a simple constitution, can be applied for a display element of transmission type, and exhibits large differences in the light-scattering index, light refractive index, and light absorption according to an imposed electric field with stable repeating performance. The polymer gel composition and the optical element using it contain a liquid and a charged polymer gel that exhibits volumetric change depending on the absorption/releasing of the liquid according to an imposed electric field.

Abstract: Disclosed are a composite material comprising a substrate having a three-dimensional structure which has, on substantially entire surface thereof, regions where a polymerizable unsaturated compound is graft-bonded and regions where the polymerizable unsaturated compound is not graft-bonded, a method for graft polymerization comprising the steps of reacting the surface of the substrate having a three-dimensional structure with droplets of a solution containing a graft polymerization initiator in a suspension or an emulsion comprising the solution containing a graft polymerization initiator and a solvent immiscible with the solution containing the graft polymerization initiator so as to form polymerization initiating regions on the surface of the substrate and thereafter graft-polymerizing a polymerizable unsaturated compound to the surface part where the polymerization initiating regions are formed, and a composite material comprising a substrate which has, on substantially entire surface thereof, regions wher

Abstract: A polymer gel composition and an optical element using the same are provided. The polymer gel composition has a simple constitution, can be applied for a display element of transmission type, and exhibits large differences in the light-scattering index, light refractive index, and light absorption according to an imposed electric field with stable repeating performance. The polymer gel composition and the optical element using it contain a liquid and a charged polymer gel that exhibits volumetric change depending on the absorption/releasing of the liquid according to an imposed electric field.

Abstract: Polymeric particles of a desired particle size improved with the dispersion state of a pigment contained in the high polymeric particles can be obtained by a production method, which includes solution-polymerizing monomers having polymerizable unsaturated bonds in the presence of ionic particles sulfonic group or carboxyl group on the surface thereof.

Abstract: Provided is a sensor material including at least a stimulus-responsive high polymer gel, a bio-substance-responsive material and a light modulation material. A sensor having at least the sensor material and an optical waveguide is also provided. Furthermore, provided are a detection method for a bio-substance using the sensor material in which a change in tone is detected on the basis of swelling or shrinking of the stimulus-responsive high polymer gel, and a detection method for transmitting light using a sensor material in which transmitting light is detected on the basis of swelling or shrinking of the stimulus-responsive high polymer gel.

Abstract: Described is an optical element having plural electrodes and, disposed therebetween, a stimuli-responsive polymer gel, a liquid which can be absorbed therein and an ion supplying material. As the ion supplying material, preferred is a material showing a volumetric change, in the form of the element, of 0 to 100% under external stimuli. According to the present invention, a novel optical element showing a large change in light transmittance, reflectance or absorption amount and exhibits stable optical properties in repetition can be provided.

Abstract: An optical material has a polymer gel whose volume is reversibly changed by absorbing or releasing a liquid in response to an external stimulus and a light scattering member covering at least a part of the surface of the polymer gel.

Abstract: A volume-modulation coloration producing material which is characterized by high contrast, high response and excellent durability; a composition including this material; an optical element and a method for optical modulation using the composition are disclosed. The volume-modulation coloration producing material includes a polymer gel capable of swelling-contracting by absorbing or desorbing a liquid when an external stimulus is given, and a pigment contained in the material at a concentration equal to or higher than a saturation absorption concentration. The volume-modulation coloration producing composition, which includes the volume-modulation coloration producing material and a liquid, exhibits a reversible volume change to swell or contract by the application of a stimulus such as, for example, heat, light, an electric current, an electric field, change in pH, change in ionic concentration, absorption or desorption of a substance and addition of a solvent.

Abstract: A color filter having a substrate, (a 1st and 2nd) stimulus responsive high molecular gel particles each having a different color formed on the substrate, and a liquid in contact with the (1st and 2nd) stimulus responsive high molecular gel particles and a display element having the color filter and a dimming element dimming an incident light into the color filter. By imparting a stimulus or stopping the impart of the stimulus to the stimulus responsive high molecular gel particles to cause the state change of the high molecular gel particles, whereby the light transmittance can be improved.

Abstract: An optical element comprises a molded body of a composition of a cross-linked macromolecular liquid crystal and a resin. An optical element composed of a macromolecular liquid crystal composition where the granules of the cross-linked macromolecular liquid crystal are dispersed into the resin as a binder is preferable. The element can be made by preparing in advance granules of the cross-linked macromolecular crystal liquid by a physical or chemical crushing manner, dispersing the granules in the binder, and then molding it.

Abstract: A reversible display medium capable of repeatedly exhibiting a transparent state and a light-scattering state by an action of at least one of heat, electric field, and magnetic field, the medium comprising a substrate having thereon a recording layer comprising a side-chain high molecular weight liquid crystal, which is a copolymer comprising at least a liquid-crystal monomer component and a non-liquid-crystal monomer component having a substituent capable of making a hydrogen bond.

Abstract: A method for producing an optical element, the method comprising the steps of: forming a liquid crystal polymer layer on a sheet-form substrate; forming a surface protective layer on the liquid crystal polymer layer; and carrying out a heat-treatment for crosslinking the liquid crystal polymer, or the method comprising the steps of: forming a liquid crystal polymer layer on a sheet-form substrate; carrying out a first heat-treatment for controlling the multidomain structure of the liquid crystal polymer layer; forming a surface protective layer on the liquid crystal polymer layer; and carrying out a second heat-treatment for crosslinking the liquid crystal polymer layer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal-polymer composite film comprising (1) a high-molecular weight compound containing at least one kind of monomer units providing a side chain having a liquid crystal nature and at least one kind of monomer units providing a side chain having no liquid crystal nature and (2) a low-molecular weight liquid crystal, the high-molecular weight compound (1) and the low-molecular weight liquid crystal (2) being in separate phases, and the monomer units providing a side chain having no liquid crystal nature being crosslinked; and an electro-optical element comprising a pair of substrates each having an electrode having interposed therebetween a liquid crystal-polymer composite film comprising (2) a low-molecular weight liquid crystal and (1) a high-molecular weight compound in separate phases, the substrates each having a surface comprising a material having a reactive group on the side in contact with the composite film, the reactive group being chemically bonded to the high-molecular weight compound (

Abstract: A data recording medium having a well-recognizable recording layer which reversibly changes in degree of light scattering when externally stimulated. One embodiment of the data recording medium of the present invention comprises (a) a visible data recording layer, the degree of light scattering of which reversibly changes when externally stimulated, (b) a transparent substrate layer, (c) a low refractive layer having a lower refractive index than the transparent substrate layer, (d) a colored substrate layer and (e) a magnetic recording layer, laminated in this order. Another embodiment of the data recording medium comprises (a) a visible data recording layer, (b) a first transparent substrate layer, (c) a low refractive layer, (d) a second transparent substrate layer and (e) a colored magnetic recording layer, laminated in this order.

Abstract: An optical element comprising a polymer liquid crystal composition having an optically anisotropic multi-domain structure which is formed by crosslinking a composition containing a polymer liquid crystal. Since the multi-domain structure is stabilized by crosslinking, the element exhibits excellent reproducibility in restoring white turbidity.