Abstract: A heterocyclic ring-containing compound represented by the following formula (1). In the formula, D represents a heterocyclic ring residue having a 5- to 7-membered ring structure and substituted with (m+n) of substituents, X represents a divalent linking group consisting of a single bond, NR3group (R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1-30 carbon atoms), an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a carbonyl group, a sulfonyl group or a combination thereof, R1 represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, which may be substituted or unsubstituted, R2 represents a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, an unsubstituted amino group, a mercapto group, a cyano group, a sulfide group, a carboxy group or salt thereof, a sulfo group or salt thereof, a hydroxyamino group, a ureido group or a urethane group, m represents 1 or 2, and n represents an integer of 1 or larger.

Abstract: An optically anisotropic cellulose ester film is disclosed. The film contains a discotic compound in an amount of 0.01 to 20 weight parts based on 100 weight parts of cellulose ester. The film has a Rth550 retardation value in the range of 60 to 1,000 nm. The cellulose ester film can be used in an optical compensatory sheet, an ellipsoidal polarizing plate and a liquid crystal display.

Abstract: A polymerizable liquid crystal compound is represented by the formula (I): Q1—L1—Cy1—(CH═CH)n—CO—NR1—Cy2—L2—Q2  (I) in which each of Q1 and Q2 independently is a polymerizable group; each of L1 and L2 independently is a divalent linking group; each of Cy1 and Cy2 independently is a divalent cyclic group; R1 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 7 carbon atoms; and n is 0 or 1.

Abstract: An optical compensatory sheet comprises a transparent substrate, an orientation layer and an optically anisotropic layer in order. The optically anisotropic layer comprises discotic liquid crystal molecules. The orientation layer comprises a denatured polyvinyl alcohol having a hydrocarbon group containing 10 to 100 carbon atoms or a denatured polyvinyl alcohol containing fluorine atoms. The discotic liquid crystal molecules are aligned at an average inclined angle in the range of 50° to 90°. An orientation layer, a liquid crystal display of an STN mode and a method of alignment of discotic liquid crystal molecules are also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical compensatory sheet comprises a transparent substrate, an orientation layer and an optically anisotropic layer in order. The optically anisotropic layer comprises discotic liquid crystal molecules. The orientation layer comprises a denatured polyvinyl alcohol having a hydrocarbon group containing 10 to 100 carbon atoms or a denatured polyvinyl alcohol containing fluorine atoms. The discotic liquid crystal molecules are aligned at an average inclined angle in the range of 50° to 90°. An orientation layer, a liquid crystal display of an STN mode and a method of alignment of discotic liquid crystal molecules are also disclosed.

Abstract: A circularly polarizing plate comprises a linearly polarizing membrane and a quarter wave plate. The quarter wave plate comprises an optically anisotropic layer A and an optically anisotropic layer B. The quarter wave plate has such an optical characteristic that a retardation value essentially is a quarter of a wavelength when the retardation value is measured at the wavelength of 450 nm, 550 nm and 650 nm. One of the optically anisotropic layers A and B is a layer made from liquid crystal molecules, and the other is a polymer film or a layer made from liquid crystal molecules.

Abstract: A lubricant composition containing a molecular complex compound formed by inter-molecular interaction of one or more keto-enol tautomeric compounds, wherein said molecular complex compound contains as a constituent a keto-enol tautomeric compound (but excluding specified triarylmelamine compounds) represented by the formula (I) (where, Q11 represents an oxygen atom, sulfur atom or N(R13); R11 to R13 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, at least one of which being a substituent containing a C4 or longer alkyl chain or oligoalkyleneoxy chain, a C2 or longer perfluoroalkyl chain, perfluoroalkyl ether chain or organic polysilyl chain; R11 and R12, or R1 and R13 may bind with each other-to thereby form a cyclic structure) is disclosed.

Abstract: An orientation layer for aligning liquid crystal molecules is provided on a substrate. The orientation layer contains an acrylic copolymer or a methacrylic copolymer. The copolymer comprises repeating units represented by the formula (I) and repeating units represented by the formula (II) or (III).

Abstract: A lyotropic liquid crystal composition comprises silver halide grains, silver grains or optically anisotropic grains dispersed in lyotropic liquid crystal. The grains have an aspect ratio of not less than 2.

Abstract: An orientation layer of an acrylic copolymer is used to orient rod-like liquid crystal molecules perpendicularly to rubbing direction.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a practical lubricant composition excellent in wear resistance, extreme pressure properties and low friction properties for mechanical friction sliding members. The lubricant composition contains, as a major ingredient, a compound of formula (1), preferably a compound of triazine structure: (R—X—)m—D  (1) wherein D is a heterocyclic residue of a 5- to 7-membered cyclic structure positioned at the center of the molecule, or a compound residue of cyclic structure with m radiating side chains; X is a single bond, a group represented by NR1 (wherein R1 is an alkyl group having a carbon number of 1 to 30 or a hydrogen atom), an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a carbonyl group, a sulfonyl group, or a combination thereof forming a divalent coupling group; R is an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl or heterocyclic group; and m is an integer from 3 to 11.

Abstract: A phase retarder comprises two optically anisotropic layers A & B. The optically anisotropic layer A essentially gives the phase retardation of &pgr; at wavelength of 550 nm, and the optically anisotropic layer B essentially gives the phase retardation of &pgr;/2 at wavelength of 550 nm. The layers A and B are laminated so that the retarder has such an optical characteristic that a retardation value per wavelength is within the range of 0.2 to 0.3 at each wavelength of 450 nm, 550 nm and 650 nm. The total thickness of the layers A and B is within the range of 500 nm to 20 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display comprises a liquid crystal cell, a linearly polarizing membrane, a cholesteric liquid crystal layer and a quarter wave plate. The cholesteric liquid crystal layer is divided into two or more areas having different spiral pitches of cholesteric liquid crystal. The quarter wave plate comprises an optically anisotropic layer A and an optically anisotropic layer B. One of the optically anisotropic layers A and B is formed from liquid crystal molecules. The other is formed from liquid crystal molecules or made of a polymer film. The quarter wave plate gives a retardation value per wavelength within the range of 0.2 to 0.3 at each wavelength of 480 nm, 550 nm and 630 nm.

Abstract: A process for alignment of rod-like liquid crystal molecules comprises the steps of: forming an orientation layer for vertical alignment on a support; and forming a liquid crystal layer containing rod-like liquid crystal molecules on the orientation layer to align the rod-like liquid crystal molecules at an average inclined angle of 50 to 90°.

Abstract: An optical compensatory sheet comprises a transparent substrate and an optically anisotropic layer. The optically anisotropic layer comprises discotic liquid crystal molecules. The discotic liquid crystal molecules are oriented in essentially mono domain alignment at an average inclined angle in the range of 50° to 90°. A liquid crystal display of an STN mode having the optical compensatory sheet is also disclosed.

Abstract: A circularly polarizing plate comprises a linearly polarizing membrane and a quarter wave plate. The quarter wave plate comprises an optically anisotropic layer A and an optically anisotropic layer B. The quarter wave plate has such an optical characteristic that a retardation value essentially is a quarter of a wavelength when the retardation value is measured at the wavelength of 450 nm, 550 nm and 650 nm. One of the optically anisotropic layers A and B is a layer made from liquid crystal molecules, and the other is a polymer film or a layer made from liquid crystal molecules.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a practical lubricant composition excellent in wear resistance, extreme pressure properties and low friction properties for mechanical friction sliding members.

Abstract: An optical compensatory sheet comprises a transparent support, an orientation layer and an optically anisotropic layer in this order. The optically anisotropic layer is formed from discotic liquid crystal molecules. The discotic liquid crystal molecule comprises a triphenylene nucleus and six cinnamoyl side chains. The optically anisotropic layer has a high refractive anisotropy in the range of 0.065 to 0.16.

Abstract: An optical compensation sheet favorably employable for a liquid crystal display has an optical anisotropic layer which is composed of a polymer of a non-chiral discotic liquid crystal compound having a polymerizable group and a chiral compound. The non-chiral discotic liquid crystal compound is preferably aligned at an angle between 45° and 90° to a plane of the compensation sheet and under a twisted orientation at an angle between 90° and 360°.

Abstract: A circularly polarizing plate comprises a linearly polarizing membrane and a quarter wave plate. The quarter wave plate comprises an optically anisotropic layer A and an optically anisotropic layer B. The quarter wave plate has such an optical characteristic that a retardation value essentially is a quarter of a wavelength when the retardation value is measured at the wavelength of 450 nm, 550 nm and 650 nm. One of the optically anisotropic layers A and B is a layer made from liquid crystal molecules, and the other is a polymer film or a layer made from liquid crystal molecules.