Abstract: Provided are liquid crystal compounds satisfying at least one of physical properties such as high stability to heat or light, a high clearing point (or high maximum temperature), low minimum temperature of a liquid crystal phase, small viscosity, large optical anisotropy, large negative dielectric anisotropy, a suitable elastic constant and good compatibility with other liquid crystal compounds, a liquid crystal composition containing the compound and a liquid crystal display device including the composition. The compound is represented by formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 are independently hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 15 carbons; and A1, A2 and A3 are independently 1,4-cyclohexylene or 1,4-phenylene; Z1, Z2 and Z3 are independently a single bond; Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4 are independently hydrogen, fluorine or the like; and a, b and c are independently 0 or 1, and a sum of a, b and c is 0 to 3.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel liquid crystal material composition comprising one or more compound, in order to achieve the properties of low viscosity, high resistivity, good low-temperature mutual solubility, fast response, excellent transmission, and which can be used for a variety of fast response display modes. Since the working temperature of a LCD material is subjected to the temperature range of individual LC molecules, information can only be displayed in a specific temperature range of the specific liquid crystal macro-alignment phase. At low temperature, the viscosity of liquid crystal increases exponentially, which in turn substantially reduces the response speed and overall performances of the display system.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a liquid crystal cell in which liquid crystal molecules are not blended into a plastic substrate even if the plastic substrate is deformed through stretching or shrinkage. A liquid crystal cell of the present invention includes at least two plastic substrates of which at least one is a heat-shrinkable film satisfying a heat shrinkage rate of 5% to 75%; a liquid crystal layer; and a polymer layer between at least one plastic substrate and the liquid crystal layer and into which a composition containing at least one monofunctional monomer having a hydrophilic group and is monofunctional acrylate or monofunctional methacrylate, and at least one polyfunctional monomer having two or more functional groups and is polyfunctional acrylate or polyfunctional methacrylate, is polymerized, in which a wavelength of maximum absorbance of each of the monofunctional monomer and the polyfunctional monomer is 190 to 250 nm.

Abstract: A liquid crystal compound comprising a specific compound having a positive dielectric anisotropy as the first component, and a specific compound having a low viscosity as a second component. Further, the liquid crystal compound may contain a specific compound having a positive dielectric anisotropy as the third component, a specific compound having a maximum temperature or a low viscosity as the fourth component, or a specific compound having a negative dielectric anisotropy as the fifth component.

Abstract: A reforming system may include an engine; an intake line connected to the engine; an exhaust line connected to the engine; a reformer provided at an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) line diverging from the exhaust line and mixing the exhaust gas with fuel; a front end pressure sensor provided at the EGR line of the front end portion of the reformer and measuring pressure of the exhaust gas of the front end portion of the reformer; a rear end pressure sensor provided at the EGR line of the rear end portion of the reformer and measuring pressure of the exhaust gas of the rear end portion of the reformer; and a reforming controller configured for determining whether reforming continues on the basis of a pressure difference between the front end portion and the rear end portion of the reformer measured by the front end and the rear end sensors.

Abstract: The invention provides a polymerizable compound of formula (I), polymerizable composition, polymer, and optically anisotropic article capable of obtaining an optical film having a low melting point, excellent solubility, being manufactured at low cost, and of uniform polarized light conversion across a broad wavelength region. In formula (I): Y1 to Y6 are independently a chemical single bond, —O—, —O—C(?O)—, —C(?O)—O—; G1 and G2 are independently a divalent C1-C20 aliphatic group; Z1 and Z2 are independently a C2-C10 alkenyl group substituted with a halogen atom; Ax is a C2-C30 organic group that includes at least one aromatic ring of an aromatic hydrocarbon ring or an aromatic hetero ring; Ay is H, a C1-C20 alkyl group, a C2-C20 alkenyl group, a C3-C12 cycloalkyl group; A1 is a trivalent aromatic group; A2 and A3 are independently a divalent C6-C30 aromatic group; and Q1 is H, or a C1-C6 alkyl group.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition includes a polymerizable compound (or polymer) and a polar compound, where the homeotropic alignment of liquid crystal molecules can be achieved by the action of these compounds, and a liquid crystal display device includes such a composition. A nematic liquid crystal composition has positive dielectric anisotropy and includes a polymerizable compound as a first additive and a polar compound as a second additive, and the composition may include a specific liquid crystal compound having a large positive dielectric anisotropy and a specific liquid crystal compound having a high maximum temperature or a small viscosity, and a liquid crystal display device includes such a composition.

Abstract: A method for processing a photosensitive flexographic printing plate having an aqueous-processable photopolymer. A main processing unit is used to develop a relief image by removing unexposed photopolymer using an aqueous processing solution including a first dispersing agent while the photosensitive flexographic printing plate is being subjected to mechanical cleaning. Used aqueous processing solution containing the removed photopolymer is returned back into a processing solution tank. A secondary processing unit is used to wash the developed relief image with secondary aqueous processing solution including a second dispersing agent to remove debris from the developed relief image. Used secondary aqueous processing solution containing the removed photopolymer is directed into the processing solution tank. A portion of the aqueous processing solution from the processing solution tank is removed to keep a volume of aqueous processing solution in the processing solution tank below a predefined maximum volume.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions, comprising one or more types of surface modified anisotropic nanoparticles dispersed in a liquid crystal. The compositions provide tunable methods for modifying light and energy flow.

Abstract: A lithographic printing plate precursor including a hydrophilized aluminum support, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible negative type image recording layer provided on the aluminum support, in which an arithmetic average height Sa of a surface of an outermost layer on a side where the image recording layer is provided is in a range of 0.3 ?m to 20 ?m; a method of producing a lithographic printing plate precursor; a lithographic printing plate precursor laminate formed of the lithographic printing plate precursor; a plate-making method for a lithographic printing plate; and a lithographic printing method.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a polymerizable compound having a good liquid crystal property, a good alignment property, sufficient solubility in solvents, high preservation stability in a solution state, and high optical stability; a composition including the polymerizable compound; a polymer produced by polymerizing the polymerizable compound, such as a resin produced using the polymerizable compound; an optically anisotropic body including the polymer; and a liquid crystal display element and an organic EL device that include the optically anisotropic body. As a result of conducting intensive studies in order to achieve the above object, the compound represented by General Formula (I) is developed.

Abstract: Method for producing flexographic printing plates from a photopolymerizable flexographic printing plate with a dimensionally stable support, photopolymerizable, relief-forming layer(s), and a digitally imagable layer. The method comprises (a) producing a mask by imaging the digitally imagable layer, (b) exposing the flexographic printing plate with a plurality of UV-LEDs on a UV-LED strip through the mask with actinic light, and photopolymerizing the image regions of the layer, and (c) developing the photopolymerized layer. In the UV-LED strip or in a separate strip, at least one ultrasonic sensor is arranged for determining the thickness of the flexographic printing plate for exposure. Depending on the measured thickness of the flexographic printing plate, the exposing of the flexographic printing plate is controlled in respect of: (i) number of exposure steps, exposure intensity, energy input per exposure step, duration of the individual exposure steps, and/or overall duration of exposure.

Abstract: The present application provides a liquid crystal composition with high dielectric constant anisotropy and a low viscosity, and to provide a liquid crystal display device with high contrast, high-speed responsivity, high light fastness, and high display quality without image sticking and display defects. The liquid crystal composition contains one or two or more compounds represented by the general formula (I). The liquid crystal composition is of great practical use as a liquid crystal composition for use in liquid crystal displays and is effective for high contrast, high-speed response, and high quality reliability.

Abstract: The present application relates to a device for regulating the passage of light which is characterised in that it comprises a layer comprising a liquid-crystalline mixture containing a characteristic structural element.

Abstract: A carbon separator for a solid polymer fuel cell is provided that includes a core material made of steel, and a carbon layer. The chemical composition of the steel is, by mass %, C: more than 0.02% to 0.12% or less, Si: 0.05 to 1.5%, Al: 0.001 to 1.0%, Mn: 0.01 to 1.0%, P: 0.045% or less, S: 0.01% or less, N: 0.06% or less, V: 0.5% or less, Cr: more than 13.0% to less than 25.0%, Mo: 0 to 2.5%, Ni: 0 to 0.8%, Cu: 0 to 0.8%, REM: 0 to 0.1%, B: 0 to 1.0%, Sn: 0 to 2.5%, In: 0 to 0.1%, and the balance: Fe and impurities. The steel has therein precipitates including M23C6 type Cr carbides that are finely precipitated and dispersed. A part of the precipitates protrude from the steel surface.

Abstract: Self-aligned liquid crystal materials and structures are disclosed. The structures can exhibit piezoelectric and flexoelectric properties.

Abstract: The present invention relates to mesogenic media and to electro-optical displays comprising these media as light modulation media. In particular, the electro-optical displays according to the present invention are displays, which are operated at a temperature, at which the mesogenic modulation media are in an optically isotropic phase, preferably in a blue phase.

Abstract: A photocurable relief image printing blank comprising: (a) a support layer; (b) one or more photocurable layers disposed on the support layer, wherein the one or more photocurable layers comprise: i) a binder; ii) one or more monomers; iii) an alpha-aminoketone photoinitiator; and optionally, iv) an additive selected from the group consisting of phosphites, phosphines, thioether amine compounds, and combinations of one or more of the foregoing; (c) a laser ablatable masking layer disposed on the one or more photocurable layers, the laser ablatable masking layer comprising a radiation opaque material; and (d) optionally, a removable coversheet. Upon exposure and development, the resulting relief image printing element does not degrade if left under ambient lights for an extended period of time.

Abstract: An optical switching device comprising a polarisation layer and a switching layer which comprises a liquid-crystalline material and a dye compound. Use of the optical switching device for the regulation of the passage of light through an area element. A window element which has the optical switching device therein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymerizable compound having high storage stability without causing crystal precipitation when added to a polymerizable composition. The present invention also provides a polymerizable composition containing the compound. When the filmy polymer produced through polymerization of the polymerizable composition is irradiated with UV light, it hardly discolors or peels from substrate. Further, the present invention provides a polymer produced through polymerization of the polymerizable composition and an optically anisotropic body using the polymer.