Abstract: The present invention pertains to an optical film for use as a quarter wave plate (QWP) having a normal wavelength dispersion curve. More specifically, this invention relates to a quarter wave plate based on cellulose ester polymer and fused ring additives.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an unstretched optical film comprising an additive for enhancing retardation in the thickness direction (Rth) and methods for making the optical film.

Abstract: Waterborne coating compositions are disclosed that include a latex emulsion polymer, and, as a coalescent, a diester of hydroxypivalyl hydroxypivalate. The coating compositions of the invention have a reduced VOC content and provide satisfactory coalescing activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides uniaxially stretched polymer films that have a refractive index profile suitable for use as negative A-plates or biaxial birefringent plates in a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. These wave plates can be used to compensate for the phase retardations existing in various modes of LCDs including TN (twisted nematic), VA (vertically aligned), IPS (in-plane switching), and OCB (optically compensated bend), and therefore improving the viewing quality of the displays.

Abstract: An optical compensation film composition is disclosed herein wherein the optical compensation film is stretched to yield a negative A-plate having a refractive index profile of nx<ny=nz. or a biaxial polymer film having a refractive index profile of nx<ny<nz, the film having been stretched from a film cast from a polymer solution comprising a solvent and a polymer having a moiety of wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, and wherein R is hydrogen or a substituent on the styrenic ring.

Abstract: A method for casting a styrenic fluoropolymer film on a substrate includes preparing a polymer solution by dissolving the fluoropolymer in a solvent or solvent blend whose Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs. MPa1/2) satisfy the following relations: |SPb?SPp|<5, |SPb?SPs|<4, |SPb(H)?SPp(H)|<7, and 2<|SPb(H)?SPs(H)|<10 wherein SPb, SPp, SPs, are the total Hansen solubility parameters of solvent/solvent blend, fluoropolymer, and substrate, respectively; SPb(H), SPp(H), and, SPs(H) are the hydrogen-bond Hansen solubility parameters of solvent/solvent blend, fluoropolymer, and substrate, respectively; wherein the fluoropolymer comprises a moiety of: wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, and wherein R is each independently a substituent on the styrenic ring, n is an integer from 0 to 5 representing the number of the substituents on the styrenic ring.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of a fluoropolymer by means of emulsion polymerization of a reaction mixture in an aqueous medium is disclosed wherein the reaction mixture includes a fluoromonomer having the structure of wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, and wherein R is each independently a substituent on the styrenic ring, n is an integer from 0 to 5 representing the number of the substituents on the styrenic ring; b) an emulsion stabilizer combination comprising: i) an anionic surfactant; and, ii) a cationic surfactant or a non-ionic surfactant; and, c) a free-radical initiator.

Abstract: A multilayer optical retardation compensation film having at least one positive C-plate and at least one negative C-plate is used in an LCD device. The multilayer film may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve, or the multilayer film combined with other layers in the LCD device may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve. Polymer films for the positive C-plate may be identified according to their absorbance maxima at certain wavelength ranges.

Abstract: An optical compensation film composition is disclosed herein having a polymer film and a substrate, wherein the polymer film has a positive birefringence greater than 0.005 throughout the wavelength range of 400 nm<?<800 nm, the film having been cast from a polymer solution comprising a solvent and a polymer having a moiety of wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, and wherein R is hydrogen or a substituent on the styrenic ring.

Abstract: A multilayer optical retardation compensation film having at least one positive C-plate and at least one negative C-plate is used in an LCD device. The multilayer film may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve, or the multilayer film combined with other layers in the LCD device may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve. Polymer films for the positive C-plate may be identified according to their absorbance maxima at certain wavelength ranges.

Abstract: An optical compensation film is disclosed herein, which is made by uniaxially or biaxially stretching of a multilayer film including a first polymer film having a refractive index profile satisfying the equations of (nx+ny)/2?nz and |nx?ny|<0.005 and a second polymer film having a refractive index profile satisfying the equations of (nx+ny)/2<nz and |nx?ny|<0.005, wherein nx and ny represent in-plane refractive indices and nz the thickness-direction refractive index of the films, and wherein said optical compensation film has a positive in-plane retardation that satisfies the relations of 0.7<R450/R550<1 and 1<R650/R550<1.25, wherein R450, R550, and R650 are in-plane retardations at the light wavelengths of 450 nm, 550 nm, and 650 nm respectively.

Abstract: A multilayer optical film includes a wave plate having a refractive index profile of nx>ny?nz and a fluoropolymer film comprising a moiety of wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, wherein R is each independently a substituent on the styrenic ring, n is an integer from 0 to 5 representing the number of the substituents on the styrenic ring, and wherein nx and ny represent in-plane refractive indices and nz the thickness-direction refractive index of the wave plates; wherein said multilayer optical film has a positive in-plane retardation (Re) and an out-of-plane retardation (Rth) that satisfies the equation of |Rth|<Rc/2 throughout the wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm.

Abstract: A sulfopolyester containing residues of 2,2,4,4-tetralkylcyclobutane-1,3-diol such as 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol is highly dispersible in water. This allows one to reduce the content of sulfonate groups or reduce the amount of ethylene glycol or other hydrophilic glycols to retain good water resistance in cured coatings. The sulfopolyester may also be a reaction product of a 2,2,4,4-tetralkylcyclobutane-1,3-diol along with 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, neopentyl glycol, or a mixture thereof with an acid component. Coating compositions may also contain these sulfopolyesters along with water and a polymer resin.

Abstract: A sulfopolyester containing residues of 2,2,4,4-tetralkylcyclobutane-1,3-diol such as 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol is highly dispersible in water. This allows one to reduce the content of sulfonate groups or reduce the amount of ethylene glycol or other hydrophilic glycols to retain good water resistance in cured coatings. The sulfopolyester may also be a reaction product of a 2,2,4,4-tetralkylcyclobutane-1,3-diol along with 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, neopentyl glycol, or a mixture thereof with an acid component. Coating compositions may also contain these sulfopolyesters along with water and a polymer resin.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of a fluoropolymer by means of emulsion polymerization of a reaction mixture in an aqueous medium is disclosed wherein the reaction mixture includes a fluoromonomer having the structure of wherein R1, R2, and R3 are each independently hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, or halogens, wherein at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a fluorine atom, and wherein R is each independently a substituent on the styrenic ring, n is an integer from 0 to 5 representing the number of the substituents on the styrenic ring; b) an emulsion stabilizer combination comprising: i) an anionic surfactant; and, ii) a cationic surfactant or a non-ionic surfactant; and, c) a free-radical initiator.

Abstract: Disclosed is a low VOC coating additive employing a water-dispersible polymer, a water insoluble plasticizer, cyclohexanedimethanol, and optionally an amphiphilic component. The additive can be added to a coating to improve at least one performance characteristics of the coating, such as, wet-edge time, open time, scrub resistance, wet adhesion, and water resistance.

Abstract: Some embodiments include compositions and/or methods related to optical compensation films. More particularly, some embodiments can include brominated polystyrene compositions, and/or methods for their preparation, suitable for forming optical compensation films. In some embodiments, suitable brominated polystyrene compositions, and/or methods for their preparation, can include aromatic rings having one or more acyl moieties.

Abstract: Waterborne coating compositions are disclosed that include a latex emulsion polymer, and, as a coalescent, a levulinic acid ester of a monohydric aliphatic alcohol having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms. The coating compositions of the invention have a reduced VOC content, and provide improved coalescing activity compared with esters of polyols such as glycerol.

Abstract: Optical compensation films (positive C-plate) with disk anisotropic subunits (OASUs) that have high positive birefringence throughout the wavelength range 400 nm<?<800 nm are provided. The optical compensation films may be processed by solution casting to yield a polymer film with high birefringence without the need for stretching, photopolymerization, or other processes. Such optical compensation films are suitable for use as a positive C-plate in LCDs, particularly IPS-LCDs.

Abstract: A sulfopolyester containing residues of 2,2,4,4-tetralkylcyclobutane-1,3-diol such as 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol is highly water dispersible in water. This allows one to reduce the content of sulfonate groups or reduce the amount of ethylene glycol or other hydrophilic glycols to retain good water resistance in cured coatings.