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: 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 polymer having a hydrocarbon side chain containing 10 or more carbon atoms or a fluoropolymer. The discotic liquid crystal molecules are aligned at an average inclined angle in the range of 50° to 90°. A liquid crystal display of an STN mode and a method of alignment of discotic liquid crystal molecules are also disclosed.

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

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 optically anisotropic sheet comprises an optically anisotropic layer, an orientation layer and a transparent support in this order. The optically anisotropic layer is formed from discotic liquid crystal molecules. The orientation layer is subjected to rubbing treatment. The discotic liquid crystal molecules are aligned with the orientation layer. An average inclined angle of discotic planes of the discotic liquid crystal molecules is in the range of 50° to 90°. An average direction of optical axes of the discotic liquid crystal molecules is essentially parallel to a rubbing direction of the orientation layer.

Abstract: An orientation layer of an acrylic copolymer is used to orient rod-like liquid crystal molecules perpendicularly to rubbing direction. The copolymer comprises repeating units represented by the formula (I) and repeating units represented by the formula (II) or (III).

Abstract: A nonaqueous secondary battery comprising a positive electrode material, a negative electrode material, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a lithium salt, which contains at least one triarylamine compound and at least one organoboron compound. The battery has a high capacity and satisfactory charge and discharge cycle characteristics.

Abstract: There is disclosed a nonaqueous-electrolytic solution secondary battery that comprises a negative-electrode material, a positive-electrode material, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a lithium salt, wherein the battery contains an organoboron compound. This nonaqueous-electrolytic solution secondary battery has high capacity and good charge and discharge cycle characteristics.

Abstract: A nonaqueous secondary battery is disclosed, comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing a lithium salt, wherein the battery contains a hydrazine derivative represented by formula (I):R.sub.1 R.sub.2 N--NR.sub.3 R.sub.4 (I)wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 each represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, an acyl group, an oxycarbonyl group or a sulfonyl group; and R.sub.4 represents an acyl group, an oxycarbonyl group or a sulfonyl group.

Abstract: In a non-aqueous lithium ion secondary battery comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode which are capable of reciprocally receiving and releasing lithium ions, a non-aqueous electrolyte solution containing a lithium salt in a non-aqueous solvent and a separator in a sealed case, the negative electrode comprises an amorphous calcogen compound or an amorphous metal oxide, and the non-aqueous electrolyte solution further contains at least one amine compound selected from the group consisting of a carbazole compound, a phenothiazine compound, a phenoxazine compound, an acridine compound, a dibenzoazepine compound and a phenazine compound. If the non-aqueous solvent comprises a non-cyclic carbonate compound and a cyclic carbonate compound, the amine compound can be a triarylamine.

Abstract: There is disclosed a non-aqueous-electrolyte secondary battery comprising a positive electrode including a material capable of reversibly absorbing and releasing lithium, a negative electrode, a non-aqueous electrolyte containing a lithium salt, and a separator of the secondary battery the negative electrode comprises a material mainly comprising an amorphous chalcogen compound and/or an amorphous oxide including three or more atoms selected from the group consisting of Groups 1, 2, 13, 14, and 15 of the Periodic Table, and the said non-aqueous-electrolyte contains at least one N-containing organic compound. This non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has excellent charge and discharge characteristics, and its decrease of discharge capacity due to repeated charging/discharging is small.

Abstract: An optical compensatory sheet is composed of a transparent support, an orientation layer and an optically anisotropic layer. The orientation layer is made of a polymer, and the optically anisotropic layer is made of a liquid crystalline compound. The polymer of the orientation layer is chemically bonded to the liquid crystalline compound of the optically anisotropic layer via the interface of these layers. An element composed of a transparent support and a polymer layer of a polyvinyl alcohol at least one hydroxyl group of which is substituted with a group having a vinyl moiety, an oxiranyl moiety or an aziridinyl moiety, is useful for the preparation of the optical compensatory sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid crystal display provided with an optical compensatory sheet comprising an optically anisotropic layer which has negative birefringence and comprises a polymer having a discotic structure in its molecule, and an optical compensatory sheet which comprises a transparent support, an orientation layer provided thereon and the optically anisotropic layer provided on the orientation layer. Further, a process for preparation of the optical compensatory sheet and a liquid crystal composition which is useful as material for preparing the optical compensatory sheet are also disclosed.

Abstract: A silver halide color photographic material comprising a support having thereon at least one blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, at least one green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and at least one red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, in which the silver halide color photographic material comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of the compounds represented by one of formulas (A-I) to (A-V); and 60% or more of the total projected area of silver halide grains contained in at least one of the light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers is occupied by tabular grains having an aspect ratio of 2 or more, and the tabular grains have a dislocation line number of 10 or more per one grain.

Abstract: An enantiomeric mixture of a 3-chloro-1-(substituted) phenyl-1-propyl ester of a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic acid is treated with an enzyme which can asymmetrically hydrolyze the mixture, for example, a lipase originating in a microorganism of the genus Pseudomonas, Aspergillus, Candida or Chromobacterium to form a mixture of an optically active 3-chloro-1-(substituted) phenyl-1-propanol with an optically active 3-chloro-1-(substituted) phenyl-1-propyl ester of a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic acid, and the optically active 3-chloro-1-(substituted) phenyl-1-propanol or a derivative thereof and the optically active 3-chloro-1-(substituted) phenyl-1-propyl ester of a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic acid or a derivative thereof are each separately recovered from the mixture. The process allows simple and easy preparation of the above optically active compounds having a high optical purity, thus being extremely industrially advantageous.

Abstract: Disclosed is a color diffusion transfer photosensitive material containing a compound represented by a color diffusion transfer photosensitive material containing at least one compound represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represent a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic group or an aryl group; and R.sub.3 represents an aliphatic group or a group represented by the following general formula (Ab): ##STR2## wherein R.sub.4 represents a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic group or an aryl group and R.sub.5 represents an aliphatic group, an aryl group or an amino group; and further, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, R.sub.1 and R.sub.3, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3, or R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 may combine with each other to form a 5- to 7-membered ring, or R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 may combine with one another to form a bicyclo ring; wherein the total number of carbon atoms contained in R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is not smaller than 10, at least either R.sub.1 or R.sub.

Abstract: A silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon at least one layer which contains at least one compound represented by the following formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may be the same or different and each independently represents an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; Ar represents an aryl group; Ar and R.sup.1 may be linked to form a 5- to 7-membered ring but R.sup.2 and Ar or R.sup.1 do not link with each other; and n represents an integer of 0 to 2.