Abstract: Provided are a liquid crystal composition, a liquid crystal cured layer, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device, each of which suppresses streak defects and has excellent temporal stability. The liquid crystal composition includes a liquid crystal compound and a basic compound, in which a pKa of a conjugate acid of the basic compound is 4 to 10.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a phase difference film having excellent alignment without the need for alignment treatment on a support, a method for manufacturing a phase difference film, a polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal display device. The phase difference film of the present invention includes a support, and a liquid crystal layer formed of a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystalline compound so as to be in contact with the support, in which a surface energy of a surface of the support on which the liquid crystal layer is formed is 45 mN/m or more and a non-polar dispersion force component included in the surface energy is 45 mN/m or more, the liquid crystalline compound is immobilized in an aligned state, and a contrast is more than 10000.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid crystal composition, a liquid crystal cured layer, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device, each of which suppresses streak defects and has excellent temporal stability. The liquid crystal composition includes a liquid crystal compound and a basic compound, in which a pKa of a conjugate acid of the basic compound is 4 to 10.

Abstract: Provided is an optically anisotropic layer with which an image display device having suppressed occurrence of oblique light leakage can be manufactured; and an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device, each having the optically anisotropic layer. The optically anisotropic layer is obtained by curing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition including a predetermined rod-like liquid crystal compound and a predetermined monofunctional compound, and immobilizing an alignment state of the rod-like liquid crystal compound, in which a number a1 of atoms of the rod-like liquid crystal compound and a number a2 of atoms of the monofunctional compound satisfy a relationship of Expression (1): 0.2<a2/a1?0.68, and the rod-like liquid crystal compound is immobilized in a state of being vertically aligned with respect to the main surface of the optically anisotropic layer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a phase difference film having excellent alignment without the need for alignment treatment on a support, a method for manufacturing a phase difference film, a polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal display device. The phase difference film of the present invention includes a support, and a liquid crystal layer formed of a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystalline compound so as to be in contact with the support, in which a surface energy of a surface of the support on which the liquid crystal layer is formed is 45 mN/m or more and a non-polar dispersion force component included in the surface energy is 45 mN/m or more, the liquid crystalline compound is immobilized in an aligned state, and a contrast is more than 10000.

Abstract: According to the invention, provided are an optical alignment film composition with which an optical alignment film having excellent aligning properties can be produced, and an optical alignment film, an optical laminate, and an image display device produced using the optical alignment film composition. An optical alignment film composition according to the invention contains a polymer A which has a constitutional unit a1 including a cinnamate group and a low-molecular-weight compound B which has a cinnamate group and has a lower molecular weight than the polymer A.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide a retardation film which uses a liquid crystal compound, has a suppressed streak defect and shows a good front contrast, and an application thereof. The present invention provides a retardation film in which a liquid crystal compound capable of showing a smectic phase is fixed in the smectic phase, the retardation film including a non-liquid crystal compound which satisfies the conditions A and B: condition A: molecular weight is 10000 or less; and condition B: T0?T1?30° C. T0 represents the phase transition temperature between the nematic phase and the isotropic phase of a composition which does not contain the non-liquid crystal compound, and T1 represents the phase transition temperature between the nematic phase and the isotropic phase of a composition which contains the non-liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: According to the invention, provided are an optical alignment film composition with which an optical alignment film having excellent aligning properties can be produced, and an optical alignment film, an optical laminate, and an image display device produced using the optical alignment film composition. An optical alignment film composition according to the invention contains a polymer A which has a constitutional unit a1 including a cinnamate group and a low-molecular-weight compound B which has a cinnamate group and has a lower molecular weight than the polymer A.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide a retardation film which uses a liquid crystal compound, has a suppressed streak defect and shows a good front contrast, and an application thereof. The present invention provides a retardation film in which a liquid crystal compound capable of showing a smectic phase is fixed in the smectic phase, the retardation film including a non-liquid crystal compound which satisfies the conditions A and B: condition A: molecular weight is 10000 or less; and condition B: T0-T1?30° C. T0 represents the phase transition temperature between the nematic phase and the isotropic phase of a composition which does not contain the non-liquid crystal compound, and T1 represents the phase transition temperature between the nematic phase and the isotropic phase of a composition which contains the non-liquid crystal compound.