Abstract: A method for producing a polarizing film includes a step (1) of preparing a lyotropic liquid crystalline solution having electric conductivity of not more than 50 ?S/cm (expressed in terms of 0.05% by weight) and containing a dichroic dye and a solvent, a step (2) of preparing a base material having at least one surface subjected to a hydrophilization treatment, and a step (3) of coating the solution prepared in the step (1) on the hydrophilized surface of the base material prepared in the step (2) at a coating rate of not less than 100 mm/second, and drying the solution. The polarizing film produced in the method has a dichroic ratio of 25 or more at a wavelength of 600 nm.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell; a first polarizer placed on one side of the liquid crystal cell; a second polarizer placed on another side of the liquid crystal cell; a biaxial optical element placed between the liquid crystal cell and the first polarizer; and a negative C plate placed between the second polarizer and the biaxial optical element. A direction of an absorption axis of the first polarizer is substantially perpendicular to a direction of an absorption axis of the second polarizer. A refractive index ellipsoid of the biaxial optical element has a relationship of nx>nz>ny and a direction of a slow axis of the biaxial optical element is substantially parallel to the direction of the absorption axis of the first polarizer. A refractive index ellipsoid of the negative C plate has a relationship of nx=ny>nz.

Abstract: A liquid crystalline di(meth)acrylate compound represented by the following formula (III): wherein, in the formula (III), R1 and R2 represent each independently a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R3 and R4 represent each independently an alkylene group of a carbon number of 2 to 12, R5 and R6 represent each independently —O—CO— or —CO—O—, A1 and A2 represent each independently —O— or —O—CO—O—, and X represents an aromatic substituent.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus is provided, in which excellent viewing angle compensation is conducted, and which is highly excellent in a contrast in an oblique direction and can be reduced in thickness. A liquid crystal panel of the present invention includes a first polarizer, a first optical compensation layer, a liquid crystal cell, a second optical compensation layer, and a second polarizer in the stated order. Each of the first optical compensation layer and the second optical compensation layer contains at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyamide, polyester, polyetherketone, polyamideimide, and polyesterimide, and have a refractive index profile of nx>ny>nz.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal cell; a first polarizer placed on one side of the liquid crystal cell; a second polarizer placed on another side of the liquid crystal cell; a biaxial optical element placed between the liquid crystal cell and the first polarizer; and a negative C plate placed between the second polarizer and the biaxial optical element. A direction of an absorption axis of the first polarizer is substantially perpendicular to a direction of an absorption axis of the second polarizer. A refractive index ellipsoid of the biaxial optical element has a relationship of nx>nz>ny and a direction of a slow axis of the biaxial optical element is substantially parallel to the direction of the absorption axis of the first polarizer. A refractive index ellipsoid of the negative C plate has a relationship of nx=ny>nz.

Abstract: A retardation film according to the present invention consists of a single-layer film in which a birefringent chain polymer is oriented, the polymer having as a repeating unit (A), a structure represented by the following general formula (V): wherein R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; R4 and R8 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a linear or branched alkoxyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a linear or branched thioalkoxyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, halogen, a nitro group, an amino group, a hydroxyl group, or a thiol group (where R4 and R8 are not simultaneously hydrogen atoms); and R5, R6, and R7 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent.

Abstract: A method for producing a polarizing film of the present invention comprises a step (1) of preparing a lyotropic liquid crystalline solution having electric conductivity of not more than 50 ?S/cm (expressed in terms of 0.05% by weight) and containing a dichroic dye and a solvent, a step (2) of preparing a base material having at least one surface subjected to a hydrophilization treatment, and a step (3) of coating the solution prepared in the step (1) on the hydrophilized surface of the base material prepared in the step (2) at a coating rate of not less than 100 mm/second, and drying the solution. The method of the present invention can easily produce a polarizing film having a high dichroic ratio.

Abstract: A retardation film comprising a monolayer film having a birefringent chain polymer orientated. The polymer has a repeating unit of the structure of the general formula: (V) wherein R3 is a hydrogen atom or C1-C8 alkyl; each of R4 and R8 independently is a hydrogen atom, C1-C4 linear or branched alkyl, C1-C4 linear or branched alkoxyl, C1-C4 linear or branched thioalkoxyl, halogen, nitro, amino, hydroxyl or thiol (with the proviso that R4 and R8 are not simultaneously hydrogen atoms); and each of R5, R6 and R7 independently is a hydrogen atom or a substituent. This retardation film can be a relatively thin layer, and exhibits such a wavelength dispersion that with respect to light rays of wavelength ? of approximately the entire visible region, the phase contrast is about ?/2 or about ?/4.

Abstract: A phase difference film characterized in that said film is obtained by orienting and fixing, on a substrate, a composition containing a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer represented by the following formula (I): wherein, in the formula (I), X represents any one of Br, a halogen atom other than Br, -SMe and -SPh, R1 and R2 represent each independently a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R3 and R4 represent each independently an alkylene group of a carbon number of 2 to 12, and R5 and R6 represent each independently —O—CO— or —CO—O—.

Abstract: A color purity improving sheet that improves color purity while preventing brightness from degrading due to absorption of light of a necessary color. The color purity improving sheet includes a light-emitting layer containing a light-emitting means for absorbing light in a specific wavelength range other than the target wavelength range and converting its wavelength to emit light in the target wavelength range, and a reflective layer. The light-emitting layer has a transmittance of at least 70% at the maximum absorption wavelength of the light-emitting layer. The light-emitting layer and the reflective layer are laminated together in this order in a direction from which light of a backlight is incident. The reflective layer selectively reflects part of light in the specific wavelength range other than the target wavelength range and has been transmitted without being absorbed by the light-emitting means in the light-emitting layer, allowing entrance into the light-emitting layer again.

Abstract: A liquid crystalline di(meth)acrylate compound represented by the following formula (III): wherein, in the formula (III), R1 and R2 represent each independently a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R3 and R4 represent each independently an alkylene group of a carbon number of 2 to 12, R5 and R6 represent each independently —O—CO— or —CO—O—, A1 and A2 represent each independently —O— or —O—CO—O—, and X represents an aromatic substituent.

Abstract: An elliptically polarizing plate comprising a retardation film having a film comprising a polymer which has, as its main chain, a polyol skeleton having a side chain substituted with at least one chemical group selected from the group consisting of an aromatic carbonyl group, an aryl-substituted lower alkylcarbonyl group, and an unsaturated aliphatic carbonyl group, the chemical group being bonded to an oxygen atom in the polyol skeleton side chain, and a polarizer stacked over the retardation film, wherein the polarizer is made of a coating film obtained by applying a dichromatic colorant. As the dichromatic colorant, an organic colorant represented by (chromogen)(SO3M)n wherein M represents a cation is used. The elliptically polarizing plate has a good visibility in the range of visible rays and can be made thin and light.

Abstract: A phase difference film characterized in that said film is obtained by orienting and fixing, on a substrate, a composition containing a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer represented by the following formula (I): wherein, in the formula (I), X represents any one of Br, a halogen atom other than Br, —SMe and —SPh, R1 and R2 represent each independently a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R3 and R4 represent each independently an alkylene group of a carbon number of 2 to 12, and R5 and R6 represent each independently —O—CO— or —CO—O—.