Abstract: A process for producing a liquid crystalline polymer with increased polymerization rate and reduced deposition of monomer-derived substances to the reaction vessel during production is provided. A liquid crystalline polymer having a constituent unit derived from 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in an amount 8 mol % or less is produced by conducting reaction at the presence of a catalytic amount of a catalyst comprising a potassium compound and a trivalent cobalt compound in combination.

Abstract: Liquid-crystalline compositions containing, as components, A) at least one compound of the formula I Z1—Y1—A1—Y3—M—Y4—A2—Y2—Z2  (I),  where Z1 and Z2 are each a reactive group, Y1 to Y4 are each a linking unit, A1 and A2 are each a spacer and M is a mesogenic group, B) at least one reactive compound selected from b1) vinyl or allyl ethers, b2) vinyl or allyl esters of saturated or unsaturated carboxylic acids, b3) methacrylic or acrylic esters of monofunctional or polyfunctional alcohols, b4) polyester (meth)acrylates, b5) vinylaromatics or vinylheteroaromatics, and b6) compounds of the general formula II CH2═CH—NR2—R1  (II), in which R1 and R2 are as defined in detail in the description, and C) if desired further additives.

Abstract: To provide a material improved in dimensional accuracy and reduced in the extent of deformation caused by warpage without suffering from a serious reduction in mechanical properties such as flexural properties, and suitable for connectors which have a ratio (L/t) of the length (L) of the product to the average thickness (t) thereof of at least 100 and a ratio (L/h) of the length (L) of the product to the height (h) thereof of at least 10. A liquid crystal polymer composition for connectors, having a ratio (L/t) of the length (L) of the product to the average thickness (t) thereof of at least 100 and a ratio (L/h) of the length (L) of the product to the height (h) thereof of not exceeding 10, which is obtained by blending 100 parts by weight of a liquid crystal polymer (A) with 5 to 100 parts by weight of a fibrous filler (B) having an average fiber diameter of 0.

Abstract: Disclosed are polymerizable liquid-crystalline compounds of the general formula (I) where A1 and A2 are identical or different and are each a crosslinkable group; the radicals X are identical or different and are each a single bond, —O—, —S—, —C═N—, —O—CO—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—O—, —CO—NR—, —NR—CO—, —NR—, —O—CO—NR, —NR—CO—O—, —CH2—O— or —NR—CO—NR, in which R is H or C1-C4-alkyl; and M is a mesogenic group, a process for their preparation and their use for preparing cholesteric phases.

Abstract: An alignment structure useful in a liquid crystal display device comprising a substrate having disposed thereon an oriented layer of a chromonic liquid crystalline material, wherein the chromonic liquid crystalline material comprises a chromonic material, a pre-tilt additive, and/or a cross-linking agent. The structure can be made by coating the chromonic liquid crystalline material onto the substrate and then drying or curing the coated substrate. 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. Liquid crystal displays containing such alignment structures and methods of making such displays are also described.

Abstract: A display device having a polyimide insulating layer is disclosed. The display device has a first electrode formed on a substrate, the polyimide insulating layer formed on the first electrode in such a way that the first electrode is partially exposed, and a second electrode facing the first electrode, wherein the polyimide insulating layer is a positive-type photosensitive polyimide.

Abstract: Conjugated mono-, oligo- and polymers of benzo[b]thiophene and bisbenzo[b]thiophene are useful as semiconductors or charge transport materials in optical, electrooptical or electronic devices including field effect transistors, electroluminescent, photovoltaic and sensor devices.

Abstract: A mixture comprising a molecule of formula (I); in which A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6, which may be the same or different, are each N or —CH; Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5 and Y6, which may be the same or different, are each hydrogen or C1 to C12 alkoxy; X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X6, which may be the same or different, are each hydrogen, C1 to C12 alkoxy or alkyl C1 to C12; and R7, R8, R9, R10, R11 and R12 are each hydrogen, or each of R7 and R8, R9 and R10 and R11 and R12 may form a bond; and a molecule of formula (II); in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6, which may be the same or different, are each alkyl or substituted (and/or chiral) alkyl C1 to C16, acyl C1 to C16, polyethyleneoxy, a flexible connection to a polymer backbone or part of a polymer backbone in homopolymers, copolymers or block copolymers; and B1, B2, B3, B4, B5 and B6a, which may be the same or different, are each, hydrogen, alkyl C1 to C16, alkoxy C1 to C16, nitro, halogeno, cyano, amido, diazo or ester, e.g. alkyl C1 to C16 ester.

Abstract: An optical compensatory sheet comprises a transparent support and an optically anisotropic layer. The optically anisotropic layer is formed from liquid crystal molecules. Three principal refractive indices of the optically anisotropic layer are different from each other.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystalline polyester resin composition for connectors that is excellent in fluidity at the time of molding and is therefore capable of producing connectors with further suppressed degree of warpage. The object is achieved by providing a liquid crystalline polyester resin composition for connectors comprising a liquid crystalline polyester resin mixture which comprises a liquid crystalline polyester (A) having a specific flow beginning temperature and a liquid crystalline polyester resin (B) having a specific flow beginning temperature and the flow beginning temperature between the liquid crystalline polyester resin (A) and the liquid crystalline polyester resin (B) is from 20° C. to 60° C., and from 15 to 180 parts by weight of a fibrous and/or plate-shaped inorganic filler; wherein both of the liquid crystalline polyester resin (A) and the liquid crystalline polyester resin (B) are produced by the specific method.

Abstract: The present invention concerns chiral doping agents allowing a modification to be induced in the spiral pitch of a cholesteric liquid crystal, said doping agents including a biactivated chiral unit at least one of whose functions allows a chemical link to be established with an isomerisable group, for example by radiation, said group possibly having a polymerisable or co-polymerisable end chain. These new chiral doping agents find application in particular in a color display.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention relates to compounds of the formula (I) wherein G1 and G2 independently represent a polymerizable mesogenic residue, and X, Sp, and Q are as defined herein. The compounds of the invention may, for example, be useful as curable liquid crystals and for preparing liquid crystal films.

Abstract: Phenylacetylene compounds are disclosed which are expected to exhibit high refractive index anisotropy, easy to mix with other liquid crystal compounds, has advantageous stability against light, and may be used as a material for producing various films and the like. The compounds are represented by the formula (1): wherein A1 to A12: H, F, etc.; B1, B2: H, CH3; p, q, r, s , t: 0 or 1, provided that when q=0, at least one of A2 and A4 to A10 stands for a C1 to C10 alkyl or alkoxy group optionally substituted with at least one F; m, n: an integer of 0 to 14, provided that when s=1, n is not 0, and when t=1, m is not 0; W: —CH2CH2—, —C≡C—.

Abstract: A method for making broadband cholesteric liquid crystals with improved bandwidth. The method includes the main steps of: (a) preparing a polymerization mixture containing first and second chiral liquid crystals, wherein the first chiral liquid crystal possesses a cholesteric liquid crystal phase and the second chiral liquid crystal possesses a helix-inversion characteristic, and at least one of the first or second chiral liquid crystals contains a polymerizable functional group; and (b) subjecting the polymerization mixture to a polymerization reaction, wherein the polymerization reaction is conducted such that the first chiral liquid crystal will go through a helix-inversion phenomenon. In a preferred embodiment, the second chiral liquid crystal has a temperature-dependent helicity which exhibits a helix inversion characteristic at a helix inversion temperature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stretchable polymer consisting essentially of recurring units derived from para-oxybenzoyl, 6-oxy-2-naphthoyl and meta-oxybenzoyl. The invention also relates to a process for stretching a multilayer laminate comprising the steps of providing a multilayer laminate comprising a layer of a thermoplastic and a layer of the stretchable polymer, and stretching the laminate greater than about 100% elongation at a temperature less than about 200° C.

Abstract: In an active matrix type liquid crystal display device using a liquid crystal of negative dielectric anisotropy, low voltage driving and high quality display are made compatible. A liquid crystal display device 50 has: a pair of substrates 1, 14; a liquid crystal layer 9; a common electrode 2, a pixel electrode 5, a signal electrode 6, and an active element 16 arranged on the substrate 1 so that an electric field 25 parallel to the plane of the substrate is generated by applying a voltage; alignment film 8, 10 formed on the substrate 1, 14; and a polarizer 15; wherein the liquid crystal 9 of negative dielectric anisotropy containing liquid crystal molecule having dicyanobenzene structure in its molecule structure is used. Within the allowable range, in which the display quality of images of the liquid crystal display device is not lowered, the voltage holding rate is maintained, and low voltage driving becomes possible.

Abstract: Polymeric compounds of general formula (I) where X, X1, X2 are independently straight or branched chain C1-16 alkyl, halogen and H; (a) is a suitable mesogenic group; Z=single covalent bond, oxygen CO2, OCO; n=1-20; Y=oxygen, CO2, OCO, CH2, CHOH, CH2O; m=3-10,000. The compounds are liquid crystal polymers useful in liquid crystal devices, sensors, and in non-linear optical devices. The compounds are prepared by polymerization of the oxitane monomer to obtain the side-chain liquid crystalline polyoxitane compound. In this way the mesogenic groups are spaced on every fourth carbon atom in the polymer chain allowing greater mobility for the mesogenic group.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stretchable blend comprising a stretchable liquid crystal polymer and a thermoplastic. These stretchable blends can be stretched at the same temperature range as many conventional thermoplastics. During a post orientation process, such as fiber or film stretching, the stretchable liquid crystal polymer can stretch and deform along with the thermoplastic matrix maintaining adhesion between the liquid crystal polymer domains and the thermoplastic matrix thereby improving the physical properties of the oriented article.

Abstract: A polymerizable liquid crystalline monomer is described comprising a polymerizable first terminal group, a central portion, and a second terminal group, wherein the monomer is capable of filament formation. Filaments can form as a result of an isotropic to smectic phase transition and can subsequently be polymerized by photoinitiation, for example.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel cholesteric layered materials having the layer sequence A1/B/A2, where A1 and A2 are identical or different and each comprise at least one cholesteric layer, and B is at least one interlayer separating the layers A1 and A2 from one another, wherein layer B is an adhesive layer; cholesteric multilayered pigments which can be produced therefrom; a process for their production, and their use.