Abstract: An alignment structure useful in a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate having disposed thereon an oriented film of a lyotropic nematic liquid crystalline material. Particularly useful lyotropic materials include a class of nematic liquid crystalline compounds known as chromonics. The substrates can be made by coating the lyotropic liquid crystal material onto the substrate to provide an oriented film of the lyotropic material. The alignment structure can also include one or more polarizing dyes or other additives and can thus be made to perform polarizing, retarding and/or color filtering functions in addition to alignment and orientation functions. Optical devices containing such alignment structures and methods of making such devices are also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides an active primer that includes an electronically active material dispersed in a binder. The active primer can be disposed between a thermal transfer donor sheet and a receptor to assist selective thermal transfer of a material from the donor sheet to the receptor to form at least a portion of an electronic device on the receptor. The binder of the active primer can be selected to improve adhesion of the transferred material to the receptor, or to enhance other transfer properties. The electronically active material of the active primer can be selected to maintain a desired level of functionality in the electronic device being patterned on the receptor.

Abstract: Described are a polymerizable composition comprising an alkyl-substituted brominated phenolic ester (meth)acrylate monomer having an index of refraction of at least 1.50, and, polymeric materials derived therefrom.

Abstract: A multilayered polymer film includes a first set of optical layers and a second set of optical layers. The first set of optical layers is made from a polyester which is often birefringent. The polyesters of the first set of optical layers typically have a composition in which 70-100 mol % of the carboxylate subunits are first carboxylate subunits and 0-30 mol % are comonomer carboxylate subunits and 70 to 100 mol % of the glycol subunits are first glycol subunits and 0 to 30 mol % of the glycol subunits are comonomer glycol subunits, where at least 0.5 mol % of the combined carboxylate and glycol subunits are comonomer carboxylate or comonomer glycol subunits. The second set of optical layers comprise copolyesters wherein 0.01 to 2.5 mol % of the combined carboxylate and glycol subunits are carboxylate subunits derived from compounds having three or more carboxylate or ester functionalities, glycol subunits derived from compounds having three or more hydroxyl functionalities, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A dichroic polarizing film is made, for example, by, first combining polyvinyl alcohol and a second polymer, such as, polyvinyl pyrrolidone or a sulfonated polyester, in a solvent. The ratio of polyvinyl alcohol to second polymer is between about 5:1 to 100:1 by weight. The film is coated on a substrate, dried, and then stretched to orient at least a portion of the film. The film incorporates a dichroic dye material, such as iodine, to form a dichroic polarizer. This polarizer may be used in conjunction with a multilayer optical film, such as a reflective polarizer, to form an optical polarizer. The multilayer optical film may contain two or more sets of polyester films, where at least one of the sets is birefringent and orientable by stretching. The polyvinyl alcohol/second polymer film and the multilayer optical film may be simultaneously stretched to orient both polymer films.

Abstract: An optical waveguide has a core and a cladding. The inner surface of the cladding is roughened in a non-uniform manner to provide for extraction of diffuse light. The core is made from a light transmitting material and formed with an axis in the general direction of light flow through the optical waveguide. The cladding surrounds the core and has an index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction of the core. The cladding has an inner surface which is roughened with indentations to extract light from the core. The indentations are substantially non-parallel with respect to the axis of the core. The inner surface of the cladding may be roughened by a variety of methods including sandblasting, the formation of grooves using a rotating brush, and the vibration of particles provided within the cladding.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an alkylated diphenylamine composition to generate an alkylated diphenylamine composition with relatively low amounts of unsubstituted diphenylamine, based on the total weight of substituted and unsubstituted diphenylamine in the alkylated diphenylamine composition. The method includes reaction of unsubstituted diphenylamine with at least two olefins. In at least some instances, the alkylated diphenylamine composition may be used, for example, as an antioxidant in a lubricating fluid or polymer composition.