Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of liquid-crystalline elastomers or thermoset materials having a fixed, anisotropic network structure, characterized in that liquid-crystalline elastomers containing reactive radicals having unreacted functional groups are aligned in a first step by the action of a mechanical stress, and this alignment is fixed in a subsequent second step by linking at least some of the reactive radicals to polymer chains, and to liquid-crystalline elastomers or thermoset materials having a fixed, anisotropic network structure prepared by these processes.

Abstract: The invention concerns polymer materials exhibiting liquid-crystalline phases which contain laterally bonded mesogenic groups and processes for the preparation of the polymer materials comprising the polymerization and/or grafting of suitable monomers. The polymer materials according to the invention are used as substrates in the electronics industry for fiber and film technology, for modulating laser beams, and for optical data storage.

Abstract: The invention relates to polymerizable liquid-crystal materials and to polymer materials which exhibit liquid-crystal phases and which contain, attached directly or via a spacer, mesogenic groups in which at least one transversely polarizing structural element of the formulae I to X, defined in claim 1, is present.

Abstract: The invention relates to polymer materials which contain liquid crystal phases and have mesogenic groups which are bonded chemically directly or via a spacer and contain a 2-cyanoacrylic acid ester unit.

Abstract: Nonionic substances which form disk-shaped micelles in aqueous solution and are of the formula ##STR1## where R is H or ##STR2## R.sup.1 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, R.sup.2 is H or CH.sub.3, x is from 3 to 12 and y is from 3 to 15, and polymers of compounds of the formula I where R is ##STR3## processes for the preparation of the compounds of the formula I and of the polymers, and the use of the compounds described as additives to detergents and cleaning agents, for other surfactant applications and as liquid crystals for optical, electronic and optoelectronic applications.

Abstract: This invention relates to crosslinked organopolysiloxanes having liquid-crystalline properties in which mesogenic molecules are chemically bonded to the organopolysiloxane lattices. These crosslinked organopolysiloxanes are prepared from silanes or siloxanes containing mesogenic molecules which are capable of being crosslinked by addition or condensation reactions.

Abstract: Compositions having liquid crystal phases which contain at least one component consisting of an organopolysiloxane having mesogenic molecules chemically bonded thereto as side chains which are obtained by grafting vinyl-substituted mesogenic molecules to an organohydrogenpolysiloxane. The organopolysiloxane backbone may also carry different molecules, such as nematogenic and cholesterogenic or chiral molecules, as side chains.

Abstract: A liquid-crystalline polymer phase having an induced cholesteric structure comprises a component having a chiral structure and a component having a nematic structure and contains a polymer with nematogenic units of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen or methyl, n is an integer from 1 to 6 and R.sub.3 represents specific structural elements containing at least two phenylene groups. Preferred is a copolymer comprising a component of the above formula and an additional chiral component of similar structure, prepared by copolymerization of the nematogenic monomer with the chiral monomer.The liquid-crystalline polymer phase permits variation of the wavelength of the reflected light .lambda..sub.R, and its cholesteric structure can be converted to the glassy polymer state and remains preserved in the solid state. Such liquid-crystalline polymer phases can be used in integrated optics, opto-electronics and information storage, e.g. for the manufacture of polarization filters or selective reflectors.