EP0445629A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process of preparing liquid crystal compositions containing multiple oriented mesogens
Assignee: Elsicon Inc
•
Filing: 1991-02-26
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-02-26
Abstract
Abstract The invention is a process for preparing a polymeric liquid crystal composition, e.g., a film or fiber, comprising aligning a nematic or smectic monomeric mesophase (liquid crystal monomer) and photopolymerizing the mesophase, characterized in that the mesophase is aligned in a multi-oriented state prior to photopolymerizing the mesophase. Preferably, alignment is a two or more step process wherein the first step comprises aligning the mesophase in a homeotropic or homogeneous alignment using conventional techniques or linearly polarized light (described below), and the second and subsequent steps comprise aligning a portion of the mesophase using linearly polarized light. In a second embodiment, the invention is a liquid crystal polymer composition, such as a film or fiber, comprising polymeric liquid crystals having aligned multiple oriented mesogens. The composition is preferably in the form of a film or fiber which is adhered to a substrate, part of a liquid crystal display cell, or a free standing polymeric film or fiber.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Joseph Shannon
- 👤 Shao-Tang Sun
- 👤 Brian Joseph Swetlin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 14:30
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K19/00; C09K19/04; C09K19/38; C07; C07C; C07C255/00; C07C255/49; C07C255/54; C07C255/55; C09K19/06; C09K19/08; C09K19/10; C09K19/12; C09K19/20; C09K19/2007; C09K19/3833; C09K19/3842; C09K19/3852; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1337; G02F1/133711; C09K2019/0444; C09K2019/0448; G02F1/133753; G02F1/133757; G02F1/133765; G02F1/13378; G02F1/133788
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
34 words
A process for preparing a composition, comprising aligning a nematic or smectic monomeric mesophase and photopolymerizing the mesophase, characterized in that the mesophase is aligned in a multi-oriented state prior to photopolymerizing the mesophase.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 1, further characterized in that the mesophase is aligned in a homeotropic or homogeneous orientation using conventional techniques or linearly polarized light and is aligned in a second orientation using linearly polarized light.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the orientation of at least some of the mesogens in the monomeric mesophase is induced by a substrate comprising aligned anisotropically absorbing molecules and the anisotropically absorbing molecules are oriented using linearly polarized light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 3, further characterized in that the substrate comprises a coating containing the anisotropically absorbing molecules.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 4, further characterized in that the anisotropically absorbing molecules are dichroic dyes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 5, further characterized in that surface alignment is used to induce orientation of other mesogens in the monomeric mesophase.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 5, further characterized in that the dichroic dyes have an absorption bands between about 150 nm and about 2000 nm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 5, further characterized in that the dichroic dyes have an absorption bands between about 400 nm and about 2000 nm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of any of claim 2-8, further characterized in that the linearly polarized light is laser light having a wavelength within the range of about 400 nm to about 2000 nm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the photopolymerizing is initiated by ultraviolet radiation and the monomeric mesophase comprises a photoinitiator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 10, further characterized in that the monomeric mesophase comprises about 0.5 to about 2.0 weight % photoinitiator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 11, further characterized in that the photoinitiator is selected from the group consisting of benzophenone, 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, 2,2-diethoxyacetophenone, 2-benzoyloxyacetophenone, 2-chlorothioxanthone and 2-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
136 words
The process of any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the resulting polymeric liquid crystals having aligned multiple oriented mesogens of the general formula: wherein R is a hydrogen or CH₃; R₁ is a linear or branched C₂ to C₁₂ alkylene group which is uninterrupted or interrupted by one or more of the groups -O-, -S- or X is -O-, -S- or or a covalent bond; R₃ is a C₁ to C₄ alkyl group; R₂ is a radical of the formula: wherein Z is -CO-O-, -O-CO-, -CH=CH-, -N=CH- or -CH=N-; and R₄ is hydrogen, Cl, Br, F, nitro, nitrile, C₁ to C₁₂ straight chain or branched alkyl, C₅ to C₇ cycloalkyl, C₁ to C₁₂ straight chain or branched alkoxy, C₁ to C₁₂ straight chain or branched alkoxycarbonyl or straight chain or branched alkyl thiolyl.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the resulting composition is in the form of a film or fiber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 14, further characterized in that the resulting composition is in the form of a film.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 14, further characterized in that the resulting composition is in the form of a fiber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
A liquid crystal polymer composition, characterized in that the polymeric liquid crystals have aligned multiple oriented mesogens.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The liquid crystal polymer composition of claim 17, further characterized in that the composition is adhered to a substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The liquid crystal polymer composition of claim 17, further characterized in that the composition is part of a liquid crystal display cell.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The liquid crystal polymer composition of claim 17, further characterized in that the composition is a free standing polymeric film or fiber.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
139 words
The liquid crystal polymer composition of any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the polymeric liquid crystals having aligned multiple oriented mesogens are of the general formula: wherein R is a hydrogen or CH₃; R₁ is a linear or branched C₂ to C₁₂ alkylene group which is uninterrupted or interrupted by one or more of the groups -O-, -S- or X is -O-, -S- or or a covalent bond; R₃ is a C₁ to C₄ alkyl group; R₂ is a radical of the formula: wherein Z is -CO-O-, -O-CO-, -CH=CH-, -N=CH- or -CH=N-; and R₄ is hydrogen, Cl, Br, F, nitro, nitrile, C₁ to C₁₂ straight chain or branched alkyl, C₅ to C₇ cycloalkyl, C₁ to C₁₂ straight chain or branched alkoxy, C₁ to C₁₂ straight chain or branched alkoxycarbonyl or straight chain or branched alkyl thiolyl.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The liquid crystal polymer composition of any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the composition is in the form of a film.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The liquid crystal polymer composition of any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the composition is in the form of a fiber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.