Abstract: Provided are a beam combiner that can form a fine and clear interference pattern, a method of forming an alignment film in which a fine and clear alignment pattern can be obtained, and a method of manufacturing an optical element including a fine and clear liquid crystal alignment pattern. The beam combiner element includes: a beam combiner element that emits light where right/left circularly polarized light components are combined; a polarization separating element that separates incidence light into two right or left circularly polarized light components; and a light control element that focuses or diffuses light and is provided on at least one optical path of circularly polarized light incident into the beam combiner element, in which an absolute value of an ellipticity of circularly polarized light emitted from the beam combiner element is 0.8 or more.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid crystal diffraction element, an image display apparatus, and a head mounted display where occurrence of a ghost in a head mounted display such as VR glasses can be suppressed.

Abstract: [Problem] There are provided: a reducing agent in which, in a perovskite oxide, when a combination of metal elements, a composition ratio thereof and the like are set, the amount of carbon dioxide is sufficiently reduced, the efficiency of converting carbon dioxide into valuables containing carbon (that is, a yield of valuables containing carbon) is high, and the efficiency of reduction using hydrogen is high; and a method of producing a gas using such a reducing agent. [Solution] The reducing agent of the present invention produces valuables containing carbon by reduction of carbon dioxide and is easily reduced using hydrogen.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polymer compound in which, by blending with a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystalline compound, alignment of the liquid crystalline compound in a phase difference layer to be obtained increases; and a liquid crystal composition, a phase difference layer, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device using the same. The polymer compound of the present invention is a polymer compound including a repeating unit represented by Formula (I), a repeating unit represented by Formula (II), a repeating unit represented by Formula (III), and a repeating unit represented by Formula (IV).

Abstract: According to the present invention, provided are an optical laminate which has excellent adhesiveness between two optically anisotropic layers, and in which an A plate or a layer obtained by fixing a twist-aligned liquid crystal phase, which is as an optically anisotropic layer, has excellent liquid crystal alignment properties, a polarizing plate, and an image display device.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polymer compound which can form a phase difference layer having high alignment and suppressed surface unevenness by being blended into a liquid crystal composition, and a liquid crystal composition, a phase difference layer, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device using the same. The polymer compound of the present invention includes a repeating unit represented by Formula (I), a repeating unit represented by Formula (II), and a repeating unit represented by Formula (III), in which an acid value is 115 mgKOH/g or more, and a hydroxyl value is 70 mgKOH/g or more.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polymer compound in which, by blending with a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystalline compound, alignment of the liquid crystalline compound in a phase difference layer to be obtained increases; and a liquid crystal composition, a phase difference layer, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device using the same. The polymer compound of the present invention is a polymer compound including a repeating unit represented by Formula (I), a repeating unit represented by Formula (II), a repeating unit represented by Formula (III), and a repeating unit represented by Formula (IV).

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition is provided which has excellent alignment properties, improves a surface state of an optically anisotropic layer to be formed, and improves adhesiveness with a polarizer, an optical film using the same, a polarizing plate, and an image display device. The liquid crystal composition according to the present invention is a liquid crystal composition containing a copolymer having a repeating unit represented by Formula (I) and a repeating unit represented by Formula (II), and a liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical film which ensures adhesiveness between a polymer film and a liquid crystal layer without deteriorating the alignment of a liquid crystal compound; a polarizing plate using the same; an image display device; a method for producing an optical film; and a method for producing a polarizing plate. The optical film includes a polymer film including a cycloolefin-based polymer, and a liquid crystal layer that is provided adjacent to the polymer film, in which the liquid crystal layer is formed by using a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystal compound and a compound having a specific structure, where the liquid crystal composition contains the compound having a specific structure at a content of 0.5% to 7.0% by mass with respect to a mass of the liquid crystal compound, and a predetermined eccentricity value is 20% to 80%.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical film exhibiting high alignment and good phase difference development in an oblique direction, and a polarizing plate and an image display device using the same. This optical film of the present invention has a substrate; and a phase difference layer which is provided on the substrate to be adjacent to the substrate, in which the phase difference layer is a layer formed by fixing vertical alignment of a liquid crystal compound having a polymerizable group included in a liquid crystal composition containing the liquid crystal compound and a polymer compound, a difference in ?a value between the polymer compound and the substrate, which is calculated using three-dimensional SP values, is 3 or less, and a content of the polymer compound is less than 10 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polymer compound which can form a phase difference layer having high alignment and suppressed surface unevenness by being blended into a liquid crystal composition, and a liquid crystal composition, a phase difference layer, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device using the same. The polymer compound of the present invention includes a repeating unit represented by Formula (I), a repeating unit represented by Formula (II), and a repeating unit represented by Formula (III), in which an acid value is 115 mgKOH/g or more, and a hydroxyl value is 70 mgKOH/g or more.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is a liquid crystal composition which has excellent alignment properties, improves a surface state of an optically anisotropic layer to be formed, and improves adhesiveness with a polarizer, an optical film using the same, a polarizing plate, and an image display device. The liquid crystal composition according to the present invention is a liquid crystal composition containing a copolymer having a repeating unit represented by Formula (I) and a repeating unit represented by Formula (II), and a liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical film exhibiting high alignment and good phase difference development in an oblique direction, and a polarizing plate and an image display device using the same. This optical film of the present invention has a substrate; and a phase difference layer which is provided on the substrate to be adjacent to the substrate, in which the phase difference layer is a layer formed by fixing vertical alignment of a liquid crystal compound having a polymerizable group included in a liquid crystal composition containing the liquid crystal compound and a polymer compound, a difference in ?a value between the polymer compound and the substrate, which is calculated using three-dimensional SP values, is 3 or less, and a content of the polymer compound is less than 10 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical film which ensures adhesiveness between a polymer film and a liquid crystal layer without deteriorating the alignment of a liquid crystal compound; a polarizing plate using the same; an image display device; a method for producing an optical film; and a method for producing a polarizing plate. The optical film includes a polymer film including a cycloolefin-based polymer, and a liquid crystal layer that is provided adjacent to the polymer film, in which the liquid crystal layer is formed by using a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystal compound and a compound having a specific structure, where the liquid crystal composition contains the compound having a specific structure at a content of 0.5% to 7.0% by mass with respect to a mass of the liquid crystal compound, and a predetermined eccentricity value is 20% to 80%.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cellulose acylate film, containing: an organic acid satisfying requirements of a to c, in which a film thickness of the cellulose acylate film is greater than or equal to 3 ?m, and an average concentration of the organic acid in a region from one surface of the cellulose acylate film to a depth of 0 to 0.2 ?m is lower than an average concentration of the organic acid in a residual region other than the region: a: having a structure in which polyhydric alcohol and a polyvalent carboxylic acid are bonded by forming an ester bond; b: the total number of molecules of polyhydric alcohol and a monovalent or more carboxylic acid forming the organic acid being greater than or equal to 3; and c: having at least one non-substituted carboxyl group derived from a polyvalent carboxylic acid.

Abstract: A thermoelectric power generation device includes a plurality of units that are stacked, each unit including a thermoelectric module containing at least one thermoelectric element, and a first plate and a second plate interposing the thermoelectric module therebetween, wherein a spacer is interposed between a surface of one of the first plates facing away from the corresponding thermoelectric module and a surface of the opposing second plate facing away from the corresponding thermoelectric module, the spacer contacting the first plate and the second plate and defining a fluid passage jointly with the first plate and the second plate, and wherein the fluid passages defined between the adjacent units are configured to receive supply of high temperature fluid and low temperature fluid in an alternating manner in a stacking direction of the units. The plates can be conformed to the thermoelectric module, and the stiffness of the plate can be increased.

Abstract: A phase difference film includes a liquid crystal layer in which a disk-like liquid crystal compound is fixed in a homeotropic alignment state, in which an in-plane retardation Re of the liquid crystal layer satisfies 200 nm?Re?300 nm and a retardation Rth in a thickness direction satisfies ?30 nm?Rth.

Abstract: A polymer is obtained by polymerizing a monomer having two or more radical polymerizable double bonds and one or more hydroxyl groups. A composition including the polymer, an optical film including a cholesteric liquid crystal layer containing the polymer on a support, and a liquid crystal display device including at least a backlight unit including the optical film and a liquid crystal cell are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cellulose acylate film, containing: an organic acid satisfying requirements of a to c, in which a film thickness of the cellulose acylate film is greater than or equal to 3 ?m, and an average concentration of the organic acid in a region from one surface of the cellulose acylate film to a depth of 0 to 0.2 ?m is lower than an average concentration of the organic acid in a residual region other than the region: a: having a structure in which polyhydric alcohol and a polyvalent carboxylic acid are bonded by forming an ester bond; b: the total number of molecules of polyhydric alcohol and a monovalent or more carboxylic acid forming the organic acid being greater than or equal to 3; and c: having at least one non-substituted carboxyl group derived from a polyvalent carboxylic acid.

Abstract: A coating composition is provided and includes: (a) inorganic particles having an average particle size of 1 to 100 nm; (b) an ionizing radiation-curing material for forming a binder; (c) a photopolymerization initiator; and (d) an organic solvent. The coating composition preferably includes a monomer having at least two hydroxyl groups per molecule in a mass fraction of 0.1 to 3.0 mass % relative to the total solid content of the composition.