Abstract: A chromic composition adapted for application to a substrate comprising a reversible colour-change composition and a binder composition is provided. The colour change composition includes a leuco-dye and/or liquid crystal. The composition may be applied to keratinous material, polymers or other substrates to provide a colour change effect and other desirable properties such as natural feel and durability.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a decorative sheet exhibiting high lustrousness even when observed from a direction deviated from a specular reflection of illumination light, and a liquid crystal display device and an automobile interior material each using the decorative sheet. The object is achieved by a decorative sheet including a cholesteric liquid crystal layer having wavelength-selective reflectivity and satisfying Expression (1), R[?45,20](?1)/R[?45,20](?2)?5??Expression (1).

Abstract: An optical film including: a cholesteric layer of a disk-like liquid crystal composition including a disk-like liquid crystal compound, in which the cholesteric layer exhibits a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase, and in which fluctuation of a helical pitch in a film thickness direction of the cholesteric layer is 2% or greater, and having a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase of a disk-like liquid crystal compound and a wide reflection bandwidth; a brightness enhancement film; a backlight unit with a brightness enhancement film; and a liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: The use of an effect pigment (a) comprising an aluminum-based substrate and an iron oxide coating having a red 1st order interference color in combination with a colored absorption pigment (b) for producing a coating having enhanced coloristic properties, in particular enhanced chroma, lightness and hiding power, is provided. The pigment combination of (a) and (b) is suitable for coloring plastics, a fiber, a film and a coating composition such as a paint, a printing ink, a varnish or a powder coating, preferably an automotive, an architectural or an industrial coating composition.

Abstract: Provided herein are novel liquid crystal based devices for the facile measurement of temperature in an MRI system. The thermometers comprise a plurality of vessels wherein each vessel contains a liquid crystal composition having a unique phase transition temperature. By scanning with appropriate techniques, the state of the liquid crystals in each vessel can be assessed, and the temperature at the time of the scan can be determined by the state of the liquid crystal compositions. Also provided are novel vessels and assemblies of vessels that can be used as MRI thermometers and which are compatible with MRI phantoms.

Abstract: A thermochromic fabric utilizing cholesteric liquid crystals includes a fabric material or garment formed therefrom. The liquid crystal material is patterned with a plurality of different liquid crystal formulations, whereby each formulation has high thermal sensitivity over a narrow temperature range. As a result, the aggregate pattern of liquid crystal material formed on the thermochromic fabric allows the thermochromic fabric to have high thermal sensitivity over a broad temperature range. As such, the fabric or garment may be worn on specific body parts of a patient, such as his or her feet, to assist in making a medical diagnosis.

Abstract: There is provided a composition containing a discotic liquid crystal compound, a chiral agent, and a surfactant which can form a light reflecting layer formed by fixing a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase, which exhibits excellent durability under a hot and humid environment and excellent heat resistance, and has few alignment defects; a light reflecting film; a luminance-improving film; a backlight unit; and a liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: A composite sensor fiber comprising a filamentary core (12) and an outer layer (30) encapsulating an intermediate sensor layer (20) of a detectably thermoresponsive material. Also disclosed are a method of making composite sensor fibers, a dressing comprising a fabric having a matrix of the fibers, and a method of monitoring a wound that utilizes the dressing.

Abstract: An article that can be formed into a sleeve or a coaster for a beverage container. The article includes: (a) a first sheet that is at least sufficiently flexible to be wrapped around the cylindrical body of the beverage container to position an inner surface of an end portion of the first sheet adjacent an outer surface of a tab portion of the first sheet to form an overlapping area between the end portion and the tab portion; (b) a first adhesive on a first portion of an inner surface of the first sheet, wherein the first portion is at least partially within the overlapping area; and (c) a second adhesive on a second portion of the inner surface of the first sheet, wherein the second portion is at least partially outside the overlapping area, and wherein the first adhesive and the second adhesive can be the same or different.

Abstract: A cholesteric liquid crystal. The liquid crystal includes a metal acetylide, of which the metal is a square, planar transition metal. The metal acetylide includes first and second acylphosphine ligands and first and second phenyl acetylene ligands. Each of the first and second phenyl acetylene ligands have a meta- or para-substituent, which are selected from the group consisting of H, F, CN, OCH3, C?C—C6H5,(COO—C34H50O2), and COO—C5H10—C))—C34H50O2.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition comprising a compound represented by the following formula has sufficient solubility and a wide usable concentration range, and exhibits excellent haze-lowering performance. B1 represents an n-valent chain linking group, L1 and L2 represent a single bond, —O—, —S—, —CO—, —COO—, —OCO—, etc, A1 represents a divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group or a divalent heterocyclic group, A2 represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group, Sp1 represents a single bond, or an alkylene group, Hb1 represents a fluorine-substituted alkyl group, n represents 2 to 6, m represents 0 to 2, and l represents 2 or 3.

Abstract: A structural interface having an adaptive liquid crystal material that is positioned to receive electromagnetic radiation and adapted to reflect a selective band of the received electromagnetic radiation so as to help with cooling of a structure in the summer and/or heating of the structure in the winter. The adaptive liquid crystal material is designed to change its selective reflection band when exposed to an activating temperature or an activating light or both. Depending on the interior and/or exterior conditions, the adaptive liquid crystal material has one or more selective reflection bands with a peak wavelength selected from the following: within a sunlight wavelength span, outside a thermal infrared wavelength span, outside the sunlight wavelength span, or within the thermal infrared wavelength span. The structural interface may be applied to an exterior or interior surface of a structural envelop or be integrated into a structural envelope material.

Abstract: A cholesteric liquid-crystal mixture containing a compound represented by the general formula (Ia), a compound represented by the general formula (Ib), a fluorine-containing horizontal alignment agent and a polymerization initiator is capable of forming a film which is prevented from precipitation of liquid-crystal compounds therein, of which the haze is reduced and which has a broad reflection width.

Abstract: A compound represented by the following formula (1) has sufficient solubility, a wide usable concentration range, and excellent haze-lowering performance. In the formula, L1 to L6 represent a single bond, —O—, —CO—, —COO—, etc; Sp1 to Sp4 represent a single bond or alkylene of 1 to 10 carbon atoms; A1 and A2 represent trivalent or tetravalent aromatic hydrocarbon or heterocyclic; T represents the following formulae, etc; Hb represent perfluoroalkyl of 2 to 30 carbon atoms; m and n are 2 or 3; and o and p are an integer of 0 or more.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composite material and a liquid crystal electro-optical display device are provided. A liquid crystal composite material, includes: a liquid crystal; a polymer; and a modified inorganic layered material, wherein the modified inorganic layered material is formed by modifying an inorganic layered material with a conjugated oligomer, and the conjugated oligomer has a quaternary ammonium group or sulfonate group.

Abstract: The present invention relates to liquid-crystal emulsion for the use in a thermo-optical matrix to an early diagnosis of mammary gland neoplasmic lesions. It contains a mixture of thermotropic liquid crystals and polyvinyl alcohol. The liquid-crystal emulsion contains 14 to 48% by weight (on a dry matter basis) of the thermotropic compounds mixture and 50 to 86% by weight (on a dry matter basis) of polyvinyl alcohol. The present invention also relates to a method for preparing liquid-crystal emulsion.

Abstract: Three organic compounds mixtures of liquid-crystal properties, which when mixed together in a precisely determined weight ratio, may show an ability to form thermo-optically active mesophases of established, narrow range thermooptical transitions separation, every 0.5° C., in the temperature range: from 31.8° C. to 32.8° C., from 32.8° C. to 33.8° C., and from 33.8° C. to 34.8° C. and system including these mixtures. The use of these mixtures and the system containing the above mentioned mixtures for colorimetric detection of temperature differentiation on the surface of biological objects in a narrow range of temperatures.

Abstract: A glassy cholesteric liquid crystalline composition comprising compounds with a volume-expanding core bound to one or more hybrid chiral-nematic (or Ch) pendant moieties and a method of producing oriented films of such compounds. The Ch pendant moieties are comprised of chiral spacer groups connected to the core via linker groups and nematic groups linked to the chiral spacer groups. Thin-films of the composition are morphologically stable for extended periods of time. Also, the thin-films are able to selectively interact with light from the visible to near-IR wavelength range.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising a curable dichroic dye and a curable liquid crystal compound, which are used to prepare an optical component that is vertically oriented to give a narrow viewing angle, to form an optical component, and an optical component comprising an optical component layer prepared using the same. There is provided a composition for forming an optical component comprising 0.1-90 parts by weight of a dichroic dye and 10-98.85 parts by weight of a curable liquid crystal compound, and there is also provided an optical component comprising an optical component layer in which a curable liquid crystal compound and a curable dichroic dye are vertically oriented.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate includes a first insulating substrate, in which a pixel area is defined, a gate line formed on the first insulating substrate, a data line crossing the gate line, and a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line. The second substrate is opposite to the first substrate. The liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first and second substrates and includes a liquid crystal composition with a nematic-isotropic phase transition temperature (Tni) of 79° C. or above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to liquid-crystalline media (LC media) having negative or positive dielectric anisotropy comprising self-aligning mesogens (SAMs) which effect homeotropic (vertical) alignment of the LC media at a surface or the cell walls of a liquid-crystal display (LC display). The invention therefore also encompasses LC displays having homeotropic alignment of the liquid-crystalline medium (LC medium) without conventional imide alignment layers. The LC media may be supplemented by a polymerisable or polymerised component, which serves for stabilisation of the alignment, for adjustment of the tilt angle and/or as passivation layer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a liquid crystal composition and articles comprising the composition. The composition comprises at least one compound of each of the Formulas (I), (II) and (III), as defined herein. A process for making the composition is also provided.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition and a liquid crystal display employing the same are provided. The liquid crystal composition includes: 100 parts by weight of at least one nematic liquid crystal; 1-20 parts by weight of at least one photosensitive chiral compound; and 1-20 parts by weight of at least one non-photosensitive chiral compound.

Abstract: An electrically controlled medium for modulating light includes two plastic thin film layers (1) and (2), and a mixture layer (3) is arranged between the two plastic thin film layers (1) and (2). The mixture layer (3) is consisted of smectic liquid crystals (31), polymer materials (33) and dopants (32). Electrode layers (4) are coated on one side of each of the two plastic thin film layers (1) and (2) facing to the mixture layer (3), and the electrode layers (4) are connected to a device of electrical driving system (5). The liquid crystal molecules are allowed to exhibit different molecule alignments by controlling the amplitude, frequency and driving time of the electric power applied to the electrode layers (4), so that the electrically controlled medium for modulating light can be switched between a blurredly scattering state and a fully transparent state, even may be switched among a plurality of gradual translucent states of different gray levels.

Abstract: A liquid crystal film (LCF), a method of manufacturing the same, an optical device, or an LCD is provided. The exemplified LCF can be used as a reflective polarization plate, which can improve luminance and light utilization efficiency of a display device, such as an LCD, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention relates to liquid-crystal emulsion for the use in a thermo-optical matrix to an early diagnosis of mammary gland neoplasmic lesions. It contains a mixture of thermotropic liquid crystals and polyvinyl alcohol. The liquid-crystal emulsion contains 14 to 48% by weight (on a dry matter basis) of the thermotropic compounds mixture and 50 to 86% by weight (on a dry matter basis) of polyvinyl alcohol. The present invention also relates to a method for preparing liquid-crystal emulsion.

Abstract: A method of producing an infrared light-reflecting film includes a coating step of coating a polymerizable liquid crystal composition including a polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal compound (A), a chiral agent having an HTP of 50 ?m?1 or less (B), a monofunctional monomer (C), and an organic solvent (D) on a substrate, an alignment step of aligning the polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal compound by heating to form a cholesteric liquid crystal phase, and an irradiation step of irradiating the polymerizable liquid crystal composition with actinic radiation to fix the cholesteric liquid crystal phase and form an infrared light-reflecting layer, wherein the amount of a residual solvent after the alignment step is controlled to 0.20 g/m2 or more.

Abstract: Optical identification and/or authentication of a document or item with the help of a marking comprising a random distribution of circular polarized light reflecting particles, the marking being applied to the document or item through an ink, and the reading device exploiting circular polarization to discriminate the flakes from the background.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composite material and a liquid crystal electro-optical display device are provided. A liquid crystal composite material, includes: a liquid crystal; a polymer; and a modified inorganic layered material, wherein the modified inorganic layered material is formed by modifying an inorganic layered material with a conjugated oligomer, and the conjugated oligomer has a quaternary ammonium group or sulfonate group.

Abstract: The invention comprises a stacked color photodisplay apparatus using a photosensitive cholesteric liquid crystalline material on which an image can be optically addressed, retained without degradation for an indefinite period of time, electrically erased and a new image addressed. This is similar to a photographic film except that the photodisplay film can be used over and over again similar to digital display but without the cost of addressing electronics. Included is a device for enhancing the brightness of the image and electrooptical devices for optically writing digital images on the photodisplay. Each cell in the stack can be selectively addressed with a different optical image such as the red, green and blue components of a color digital image.

Abstract: A polymerizable compound represented by general formula (1): wherein Z1 and Z2 each represent a (meth)acryloyloxy group; X1 and X2 each independently represent a single bond, an optionally branched alkylene group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an ether linkage, —COO—, —OCO—, —OCOO—, a 6-membered ring optionally having a substituent, or a combination thereof; R1 represents —R?, —OR?, —CO—R?, or —OCO—R?; R? represents a halogen atom, an optionally branched alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or a 6-membered ring optionally having a substituent, L1 and L2 each independently represent a member selected from a single bond, —CH2CH2—, —CH?CH—, —C?C—, —CH2O—, —OCH2—, —COO—, and —OCO—; m represents an integer of 1 to 4; and the R1's may be the same or different.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ink composition for an organic EL thin film, that is, an ink composition for the formation of an organic EL thin film including an organic EL material, a liquid crystalline compound with a bandgap of 3.5 eV or more, and a solvent having an organic compound. Furthermore, the liquid crystalline compound preferably contains no functional group of —CN, —OH, or —F. Moreover, the liquid crystalline compound preferably has a molecular dipole moment of 4.0 debyes or less.

Abstract: The polymerizable liquid crystal composition includes at least two selected from the group of compounds represented by the following Formulas (1) and (2): wherein m is 5 or 10; and wherein n is 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 or 9, and R is hydrogen or methyl wherein said composition includes at most only two compounds of Formula (1) in which m is 10; and wherein said composition does not include a compound of Formula (2) in which n is 3 and R is hydrogen.

Abstract: A cholesteric liquid crystal composition containing at least one esterified product selected from the group consisting of (1) an esterified product of a hydrolysate of (A) a ?-oryzanol and (B1) a carboxylic acid compound, (2) an esterified product of a hydrogenated product of a hydrolysate of (A) a ?-oryzanol and (B2) a carboxylic acid compound, and (3) an esterified product of a hydrogenated product of (A) a ?-oryzanol and (B3) a carboxylic acid compound. The ?-oryzanol (A) is a mixture containing at least one ferulate ester of a vegetable sterol and at least one ferulate ester of a triterpene alcohol, and the hydrolysate of the ?-oryzanol (A) is a mixture containing at least one vegetable sterol and at least one triterpene alcohol.

Abstract: A polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal composition in the invention includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a polymerizable ester compound (1) having a residue of a hydrolysate of ?-oryzanol (A) and having a ring structure, a polymerizable ester compound (2) having a residue of a hydrolysate of ?-oryzanol (A) and having no ring structures, and a polymerizable ester compound (3) having a residue of a hydrogenated product of ?-oryzanol.

Abstract: A cellulose acylate film comprising at least one cellulose acylate, at least one sterol derivative represented by formula (1), and at least one saccharide derivative and/or at least one oligomer plasticizer is disclosed. R1, R2 and R3 represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group or a substituent represented by -L-R*, provided that at least one of them represents the substituent represented by -L-R*; L represents a single bond or a divalent connecting group selected from the group consisting of —O—, —CO—, —CONR6—, —CH2— and a combination thereof, R* represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring group, heterocyclic group or alkyl group; R4 represents a carboxyl group or —CHR7—CH(CH3)2; R5 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group.

Abstract: A photocurable ink composition for ink jet recording contains: a cholesteric liquid crystal polymer; a polymerizable compound; and a photopolymerization initiator.

Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal layer in which an additive containing an aliphatic organic compound including at least one carbon-carbon double bond is added to a cholesteric liquid crystal in an amount of approximately 3 wt % or more and approximately 10 wt % or less.

Abstract: Liquid crystal compositions that exhibit little or no toxicity with respect to cells include liquid crystals with chemical functional groups such as fluorine atoms, fluorophenyl groups, or difluorophenyl groups. Liquid crystals with little or no toxicity to cell lines may be added to cell culture media or added to components used in cell culture media. Cells may be grown in cell culture media that includes liquid crystals that exhibit little or no toxicity to cells.

Abstract: A liquid crystal-containing composition includes a cholesteric liquid crystal and a microcapsule wall that encapsulates the cholesteric liquid crystal, the microcapsule wall includes at least one material selected from polyurethane and polyurea, and the content of the microcapsule wall with respect to 100 parts by weight of the cholesteric liquid crystal is from about 0.1 parts to about 11 parts by weight.

Abstract: Disclosed are a silicon-containing compound, a liquid crystal composition comprising the same compound, and a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal layer prepared from the liquid crystal composition. The silicon-containing compound, which forms the liquid crystal composition, has low viscosity and high negative (?) dielectric anisotropy. Therefore, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device, which has a fast response time and can be driven at a low voltage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal composition having at least a liquid crystal and a chiral dopant, in which the chiral dopant is a compound having a liquid crystalline group of a specific structure bonded to a rigid optically active compound. The present invention provides a liquid crystal element having at least a pair of electrodes in which at least one of the electrodes is a transparent electrode, and a liquid crystal layer containing the liquid crystal composition. The present invention also provides a reflective display material and a light-controlling material having at least the liquid crystal element, and a method of preparing the liquid crystal element by adding the chiral dopant to a host liquid crystal.

Abstract: A polymerizable compound represented by general formula (1): wherein Z1 and Z2 each represent a (meth)acryloyloxy group; X1 and X2 each independently represent a single bond, an optionally branched alkylene group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an ether linkage, —COO—, —OCO—, —OCOO—, a 6-membered ring optionally having a substituent, or a combination thereof; R1 represents —R?, —OR?, —CO—R?, or —OCO-R?; R? represents a halogen atom, an optionally branched alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or a 6-membered ring optionally having a substituent, L1 and L2 each independently represent a member selected from a single bond, —CH2CH2—, —CH?CH—, —C?C—, —CH2O—, —OCH2—, —COO—, and —OCO—; m represents an integer of 1 to 4; and the R1's may be the same or different.

Abstract: A liquid crystal-containing composition and a liquid crystal display device including the same, the liquid crystal-containing composition including a cholesteric liquid crystal and microcapsules containing the cholesteric liquid crystal, and having a wall component comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of polyurethane and polyurea, the wall component further including a first isocyanurate component having a cyclo ring structure and a second isocyanate component other than the first isocyanurate component.

Abstract: A polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal composition in the invention includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a polymerizable ester compound (1) having a residue of a hydrolysate of ?-oryzanol (A) and having a ring structure, a polymerizable ester compound (2) having a residue of a hydrolysate of ?-oryzanol (A) and having no ring structures, and a polymerizable ester compound (3) having a residue of a hydrogenated product of ?-oryzanol.

Abstract: A polymerizable liquid crystal compound that has a wide liquid crystal phase temperature range and has a sterol ferulate skeleton, and a liquid crystal composition containing the compound are provided. A polymer that is excellent in various characteristics, and a molded article having optical anisotropy produced with the polymer are obtained with the polymerizable liquid crystal compound. The compound is represented by formula (1): wherein R represents a sterol moiety derived from vegetable organisms; P represents one of polymerizable groups represented by formulae (P1) to (P8); X, Z, X0 and Z0 each represent a bonding group; and A represents a divalent group having a cyclic structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a very thin planar connector having 2 mm or smaller pitch interval at the lattice area and 0.5 mm or smaller thickness of the lattice area, giving excellent performance in the whole performances such as moldability, flatness, warp-deformation, and heat resistance. A planar connector having a lattice structure within an outer frame is molded by using (C) a resin composition prepared by compounding (A) a liquid-crystalline polymer with (B) a fibrous filler, while the relation between the compounding quantity and the weight-average length of (B) the fibrous filler is controlled to a specified range.

Abstract: The polymerizable liquid crystal composition includes at least two selected from the group of compounds represented by the following Formulas (1) and (2): wherein m is 5 or 10; and wherein n is 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 or 9, and R is hydrogen or methyl wherein said composition includes at most only two compounds of Formula (1) in which m is 10; and wherein said composition does not include a compound of Formula (2) in which n is 3 and R is hydrogen.

Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal layer in which an additive containing an aliphatic organic compound including at least one carbon-carbon double bond is added to a cholesteric liquid crystal in an amount of approximately 3 wt % or more and approximately 10 wt % or less.

Abstract: A liquid crystal-containing composition includes a cholesteric liquid crystal and a microcapsule wall that encapsulates the cholesteric liquid crystal, the microcapsule wall includes at least one material selected from polyurethane and polyurea, and the content of the microcapsule wall with respect to 100 parts by weight of the cholesteric liquid crystal is from about 0.1 parts to about 11 parts by weight.