Abstract: Disclosed are a novel ionic organic compound and a method for producing the ionic organic compound by a simple process. Also disclosed are a hydrogelling agent composed of an ionic organic compound obtained by the method, an alcohol gelling agent, a gel which uses the gelling agent, while using water or methanol as a medium, and a carbon nanotube dispersant composed of the compound. Specifically disclosed is an ionic organic compound represented by general formula (1). The compound is obtained by a condensation reaction of (A) an aromatic diamide compound or cyclohexane diamide compound having a 4-(chloromethyl)benzamide group at both ends, and (B) a compound selected from N,N,N?,N?-tetramethylalkylenediamines which may have a substituent wherein there are 1-6 carbon atoms between nitrogen atoms. The thus-obtained ionic organic compound serves as a gelling agent which is capable of gelling a neutral aqueous solution or an alcohol.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel ionic liquid gel electrolyte having high photoelectric conversion efficiency. Also disclosed are a novel dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device using such an ionic liquid gel electrolyte, and a solar cell composed of such a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device. Specifically disclosed is an ionic liquid gel electrolyte obtained by gelling a liquid electrolyte by using an ionic organic oligomer gelling agent represented by the general formulae (1) and (2) below. Also specifically disclosed are a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device, wherein the ionic liquid gel electrolyte is arranged between a counter electrode and a dye-absorbed semiconductor substrate which is arranged in contact with a transparent conductive substrate, and a solar cell.

Abstract: Disclosed are a novel ionic organic compound and a method for producing the ionic organic compound by a simple process. Also disclosed are a hydrogelling agent composed of an ionic organic compound obtained by the method, an alcohol gelling agent, a gel which uses the gelling agent, while using water or methanol as a medium, and a carbon nanotube dispersant composed of the compound. Specifically disclosed is an ionic organic compound represented by general formula (1). The compound is obtained by a condensation reaction of (A) an aromatic diamide compound or cyclohexane diamide compound having a 4-(chloromethyl)benzamide group at both ends, and (B) a compound selected from N,N,N?,N?-tetramethylalkylenediamines which may have a substituent wherein there are 1-6 carbon atoms between nitrogen atoms. The thus-obtained ionic organic compound serves as a gelling agent which is capable of gelling a neutral aqueous solution or an alcohol.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a liquid crystal semiconductor capable of exhibiting a highly ordered smectic phase at approximately room temperature, being used for formation of a smectic liquid crystal thin film that is stable at room temperature by a solution process, and showing excellent ambipolar charge-transporting properties, a thin film transistor comprising the same, and the like are provided. Also, the following are provided: a smectic liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (1) wherein R1 represents a straight-chain alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R2 represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and “n” is an integer of 0 to 3; an ambipolar charge-transporting material comprising the smectic liquid crystal compound; an organic semiconductor thin film having a thin film layer comprising the smectic liquid crystal compound; and a thin film transistor comprising the organic semiconductor thin film.

Abstract: An ionic organic compound having a repeating unit of formula (I) can be synthesized easily from a readily available organic compound through a small number of reaction steps, can be produced without any purification technique such as chromatography, and can be used in a quite small amount for gelation of water or an ionic liquid without any other auxiliary solvent: [-(A-B-C)n-]•m(X)??(I) wherein A represents a group having a quaternary ammonium cation which is formed from a heterocyclic compound having at least one nitrogen atom; B represents a functional group, which may have a substituent, selected from amide, urea, urethane and peptide groups; C represents a divalent hydrocarbon group, which may have a substituent, capable of linking between A and B; X represents an anion; n represents the number of repeating units; m represents the total number of anions; and n and m are the same integer.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a liquid crystal semiconductor capable of exhibiting a highly ordered smectic phase at approximately room temperature, being used for formation of a smectic liquid crystal thin film that is stable at room temperature by a solution process, and showing excellent ambipolar charge-transporting properties, a thin film transistor comprising the same, and the like are provided. Also, the following are provided: a smectic liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (1) wherein R1 represents a straight-chain alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R2 represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and “n” is an integer of 0 to 3; an ambipolar charge-transporting material comprising the smectic liquid crystal compound; an organic semiconductor thin film having a thin film layer comprising the smectic liquid crystal compound; and a thin film transistor comprising the organic semiconductor thin film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel ionic liquid gel electrolyte having high photoelectric conversion efficiency. Also disclosed are a novel dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device using such an ionic liquid gel electrolyte, and a solar cell composed of such a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device. Specifically disclosed is an ionic liquid gel electrolyte obtained by gelling a liquid electrolyte by using an ionic organic oligomer gelling agent represented by the general formulae (1) and (2) below. Also specifically disclosed are a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device, wherein the ionic liquid gel electrolyte is arranged between a counter electrode and a dye-absorbed semiconductor substrate which is arranged in contact with a transparent conductive substrate, and a solar cell.

Abstract: An ionic organic compound having a repeating unit of formula (I) can be synthesized easily from a readily available organic compound through a small number of reaction steps, can be produced without any purification technique such as chromatography, and can be used in a quite small amount for gelation of water or an ionic liquid without any other auxiliary solvent: [-(A-B-C)n-]•m(X) ??(I) wherein A represents a group having a quaternary ammonium cation which is formed from a heterocyclic compound having at least one nitrogen atom; B represents a functional group, which may have a substituent, selected from amide, urea, urethane and peptide groups; C represents a divalent hydrocarbon group, which may have a substituent, capable of linking between A and B; X represents an anion; n represents the number of repeating units; m represents the total number of anions; and n and m are the same integer.

Abstract: There is disclosed a reversible recording material having a liquid crystal mixture comprising at least two cholesteric liquid crystal compounds. The cholesteric liquid crystal compounds which are contained in the reversible recording material has a molecular weight of less than 2000 and a grass transition temperature equal to or more than 30° C. The two cholesteric liquid crystal compounds are compatible each other. After at least a part of the reversible recording material is heated to a temperature where the part of the reversible recording material becomes a cholesteric liquid crystal phase, the part of the reversible recording material is rapidly cooled down to below the glass transition temperature thereof, so that a reflecting color from the reversible recording material can be fixed to achieve a recording.

Abstract: A reversible recording medium has a support, a reversible light absorbing layer formed on the support, and, a reversible cholesteric reflection layer formed on the reversible light absorbing layer, containing a cholesteric liquid crystalline compound capable of assuming a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase reversibly showing iridescent colors by selective reflection. A method for reversibly recording an image in the above-mentioned recording medium, and a reversible recording apparatus using the above-mentioned recording medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: A rewritable, heat sensitive, color image recording medium having a pair of opposed substrate sheets at least one of which is transparent, and a heat sensitive layer interposed between the substrate sheets and containing a cholesteric liquid crystal compound having a molecular weight of not greater than 2,000 and a glass transition point of at least 35° C. A color image is formed on the recording medium by varying imagewise the temperature of the heat sensitive layer from a first temperature to a second temperature such that the cholesteric liquid crystal compound assumes a cholesteric liquid crystal phase at at least one of the first and second temperatures. The image is fixed by rapidly cooling the recording medium to a temperature lower than the glass transition point of the cholesteric liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: A cholesteryl compound has formula (1), and a rewritable full-color thermosensitive recording material contains the above-mentioned cholesteryl compound of formula (1): YO—CO(CH2)n—A—(CH2)nCO—OY  (1) wherein A is a 1,5-hexadienylene group represented by the formula —C(R)═CHCH2CH2CH═C(R)-, in which R is a hydrogen atom or methyl group; Y is a cholesterol residue obtained by removing a hydroxyl group from cholesterol; and n is an integer of 5 to 7.

Abstract: A rewritable, color image recording medium composed of a pair of opposed substrates at least one of which is transparent, and an intermediate layer interposed between the substrates. The intermediate layer contains at least one cholesteric liquid crystal compound having a molecular weight of not greater than 2,000 and a glass transition point of at least 35.degree. C., and a photochromic compound. By irradiating the intermediate layer imagewise with the light through the transparent substrate, while maintaining the intermediate layer at such a temperature that the cholesteric liquid crystal compound assumes a cholesteric liquid crystal phase, an image is formed. The image may be fixed by rapidly cooling the recording medium to a temperature lower than the glass transition.

Abstract: An image reproducing material which comprises a support and at least a photosensitive resin layer and scratch resistance layer borne on the support, said scratch resistance layer containing a compound represented by AmBn, wherein A is mono- or divalent, straight or branched C.sub.11-20 aliphatic hydrocarbon; B is hydrogen, hydroxyl, amino, nitrile, aldehyde, carboxyl, or alkylamide, alkylester, ammonium salt or a periodic table group I-IV metal salt of a carboxylic acid; m is an integer of 1 to 3; and n is 1 or 2. A process for preparing the image reproducing material as well as a process for preparing an image reproduced material by using the image reproducing material are also described.