Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing a film that includes at least one layer of anisotropic polymer material. The method can include polymerizing a mixture of a filtered polymerizable mesogenic material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing a film that includes at least one layer of anisotropic polymer material. The method can include polymerizing a mixture of a filtered polymerizable mesogenic material.

Abstract: A method for the vacuum packaging of articles including at least the steps of: creating a plurality of recesses in a backing board; positioning at least one article on said backing board; placing a film substantially over said at least one article; and using a vacuum packaging machine to substantially package said at least one article, said at least one article being situated between the backing board and the film, wherein the thickness of the backing board is at least 2 mm. Also a packaged article, the article being packaged between a backing board and a film, wherein the backing board has a thickness of at least 2 mm and the backing board further has a plurality of recesses therein.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device containing a liquid crystal cell and at least one reflective polarizer or a polarizer combination having at least one reflective polarizer as a means to generate circular polarized light. The reflective polarizer includes an optically active layer of an anisotropic polymer material with a helically twisted planar molecular orientation. The material is oriented so that the axis of the molecular helix extends transversely to the layer, and the pitch of the molecular helix is varied in such a manner that the difference between the maximum pitch and the minimum pitch is at least 100 nm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a combination of optical elements comprising at least one optical retardation film and at least one broadband reflective polarizer, characterized in that the optical retardation film is comprising at least one layer of an anisotropic polymer material having an optical symmetry axis substantially parallel to the plane of the layer, said optical retardation film being obtainable by polymerization of a mixture of a polymerizable mesogenic material comprising: a) at least one reactive mosogen having at least one polymerizable functional group; b) an initiator; c) optionally a non-mesogenic compound having two or more polymerizable functional groups; and d) optionally a stabilizer, and relates to an optical retardation film used in said combination of optical elements and to a liquid crystal display comprising said combination of optical elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a combination of optical elements comprising at least one optical retardation film and at least one broadband reflective polarizer, characterized in that the optical retardation film is comprising at least one layer of an anisotropic polymer material having an optical symmetry axis substantially parallel to the plane of the layer, said optical retardation film being obtainable by polymerization of a mixture of a polymerizable mesogenic material comprising: a) at least one reactive mesogen having at least one polymerizable functional group; b) an initiator, c) optionally a non-mesogenic compound having two or more polymerizable functional groups; and d) optionally a stabilizer; and relates to an optical retardation film used in said combination of optical elements and to a liquid crystal display comprising said combination of optical elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal cell and at least one compensation film or a combination of polarizer and optical compensators comprising at least one compensation film, said compensation film comprising at least one layer of an isotropic polymer obtainable by polymerization of a mixture of a polymerizable mesogenic material comprising: a) compound having one or two more polymerizable functional group, in the presences b) an initiator, c) optionally a non-polymerizable compound having two or more polymerizable functional groups and d) optionally a stabilizer, characterized in that said layer of an anisotropic polymer has a hometropic or tilted hometropic molecular orientation. The invention also relates to methods of manufacturing said compensation films. The invention further relates to mixtures of chiral polymerizable mesogenic material used for manufacturing of said compensation films.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device containing a liquid crystal cell and at least one reflective polarizer or a polarizer combination having at least one reflective polarizer as a means to generate circular polarized light. The reflective polarizer includes an optically active layer of an anisotropic polymer material with a helically twisted planar molecular orientation. The material is oriented so that the axis of the molecular helix extends transversely to the layer, and the pitch of the molecular helix is varied in such a manner that the difference between the maximum pitch and the minimum pitch is at least 100 nm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a combination of optical elements comprising at least one optical retardation film and at least one broadband reflective polarizer, characterized in that the optical retardation film is comprising at least one layer of an anisotropic polymer material having an optical symmetry axis substantially parallel to the plane of the layer, said optical retardation film being obtainable by polymerization of a mixture of a polymerizable mesogenic material comprising: a) at least one reactive mesogen having at least one polymerizable functional group; b) an initiator, c) optionally a non-mesogenic compound having two or more polymerizable functional groups; and d) optionally a stabilizer; and relates to an optical retardation film used in said combination of optical elements and to a liquid crystal display comprising said combination of optical elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal cell and at least one compensation film or a combination of polarizer and optical compensators comprising at least one compensation film, said compensation film comprising at least one layer of an isotropic polymer obtainable by polymerization of a mixture of a polymerizable mesogenic material comprising: a) compound having one or two more polymerizable functional group, in the presences b) an initiator, c) optionally a non-polymerizable compound having two or more polymerizable functional groups and d) optionally a stabilizer, characterized in that said layer of an anisotropic polymer has a hometropic or tilted hometropic molecular orientation. The invention also relates to methods of manufacturing said compensation films. The invention further relates to mixtures of chiral polymerizable mesogenic material used for manufacturing of said compensation films.