Abstract: The sound absorbing material 50 comprises: a felt-like fiber body 51 which includes 15 to 70% by weight of fine fibers with a fineness of 1 denier or less, 20 to 60% by weight of hollow fibers having inner cavities, and 10 to 40% by weight of binder fibers that join the fibers together; and a nonwoven fabric 52 that is laminated on a surface of the felt-like fiber body 51. The nonwoven fabric 52 includes a plurality of drawn long fibers arranged and oriented in one direction. An average diameter of the plurality of long fibers is in the range of 1 to 4 ?m. The sound absorbing material 50 has a thickness in the range of 8 to 45 mm and a bulk density of 20 kg/m3 or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal film which comprises a liquid crystal layer having excellent retainability of homeotropic alignment and which has excellent interlayer adhesion between a cycloolefin polymer (COP) film and the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal film is produced by aligning homeotropically a liquid crystalline composition containing a (meth)acrylic compound having an oxetane group and fixing the composition in a homeotropic alignment by polymerizing the oxetane group directly on the COP film. The liquid crystal film is excellent in interlayer adhesion. The present invention also provides an optical element produced using the liquid crystal film.

Abstract: A novel dioxetane compound is provided having a cationically polymerizable oxetane group, which compound is excellent in compatibility with a liquid crystalline compound and a non-liquid crystalline compound. An optical film is also provided with excellent liquid crystal orientation retention properties and mechanical strength, produced by aligning a composition of the dioxetane compound and a cationically polymerizable compound in a liquid crystal orientation and fixing the liquid crystal orientation by polymerization. Further, a liquid crystal display device is provided with the optical film.

Abstract: A novel dioxetane compound is provided having a cationically polymerizable oxetane group, which compound is excellent in compatibility with a liquid crystalline compound and a non-liquid crystalline compound. An optical film is also provided with excellent liquid crystal orientation retention properties and mechanical strength, produced by aligning a composition of the dioxetane compound and a cationically polymerizable compound in a liquid crystal orientation and fixing the liquid crystal orientation by polymerization. Further, a liquid crystal display device is provided with the optical film.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing efficiently an optically active liquid crystalline polymer compound excellent in mechanical strength or optical characteristics at low cost, in which in that a liquid crystal polymer compound having in its main chain or side chain an ester bond is reacted with an optically active low molecular weight compound having a hydroxyl group so as to introduce the low molecular weight compound in the polymer compound as a unit having an optically active group.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing efficiently an optically active liquid crystalline polymer compound excellent in mechanical strength or optical characteristics at low cost, in which in that a liquid crystal polymer compound having in its main chain or side chain an ester bond is reacted with an optically active low molecular weight compound having a hydroxyl group so as to introduce the low molecular weight compound in the polymer compound as a unit having an optically active group.

Abstract: A process for preparing 1,2,4,5-dimethyldiisopropylbenzene includes conducting alkylation of p-xylene with propylene to produce an alkylation product, and crystallizing the alkylation product. A heteropolyacid-supported catalyst can be used as an alkylation catalyst for the reaction. The reaction solution produced from the alkylation reaction can be distilled before crystallization to improve yield and purity even more.