US5989461A
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Circular UV polarizer
Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH
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Filing: 1997-07-03
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Granted: 1999-11-23
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Expires: 2017-07-03
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a circular UV polarizer based on a polymerized mesogen being obtainable by curing by actinic radiation or by heat of a polymerizable composition which comprises the following components: a) a liquid mesogenic component A composed of one or more achiral mesogenic compounds having at least one polymerizable end group optionally linked via a spacer group to the mesogenic core, b) a component B composed of one or more chiral compounds in such an amount that the maximum wavelength of reflection (λ max ) of the composition is between 320 and 440 nm, inclusive, and c) a photoinitiator or thermal initiator component C.
Inventors
- 👤 David Coates
- 👤 Emma Jolliffe
- 👤 Patrick Nolan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:59
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/30; G02B5/3025; G02B5/3075; G02B5/3016
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A liquid crystal circular UV polarizer based on polymerized mesogens obtained by curing, with actinic radiation or heat, of a polymerizable composition comprising: a) a mesogenic component A comprising one or more achiral mesogenic compounds having at least one polymerizable end group linked, optionally via a spacer group to the mesogenic core, b) a component B comprising one or more chiral compounds in such an amount that the maximum wavelength of reflection (λ max ) of the composition is between 320 and 440 nm, inclusive, and c) a photoinitiator or thermal initiator component C.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
94 words
A liquid crystal circular UV polarizer based on polymerized mesogens obtained by curing, with actinic radiation or heat, of a polymerizable composition comprising: a) a mesogenic component A comprising one or more achiral mesogenic compounds having at least one polymerizable end group linked, optionally via a spacer group to the mesogenic core, b) a component B comprising one or more chiral compounds in such an amount that the maximum wavelength of reflection (λ max ) of the composition is between 320 and 440 nm, inclusive, and c) a photoinitiator or thermal initiator component C.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
178 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, wherein component A comprises at least one compound of formula I: ##STR19## in which P is a polymerizable group, X and Y are each independently --O--, --S--, --COO--, --OCO--, --OCOO--, --SCO--, --COS-- or a single bond, Sp is a linear spacer group with 1 to 16 carbon atoms, A, B and C each independently, denote 1,4-phenylene optionally substituted by one or two halogen atoms, cyano groups, C 1-6 -alkyl groups, C 1-6 -alkoxy groups or C 1-6 -alkanoyl groups wherein one or more H atoms may be substituted by F or Cl, or denote 1,4-cyclohexylene, Z 1 and Z 2 are each independently --CH 2 CH 2 --, --COO--, --OCO--, --OCH 2 --, --CH 2 O--, --CH═CH--, --CH═CH--COO--, --OCO--CH═CH--, --C.tbd.C-- or a single bond, R is an optionally fluorinated achiral alkyl, alkoxy or alkenyl group with 1 to 12 C atoms or denotes halogen or cyano or has one of the meanings given for P--X--(Sp--Y) m - , m is 0 or 1, and n is 0, 1 or 2.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 2, wherein component A comprises a composition of at least two compounds of formula I having two terminal polymerizable groups of formula P--X--Sp--Y--, wherein the spacer groups have different chain length.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 2, wherein component A comprises at least one compound of formula Ia ##STR20## in which P, X, Sp, Y and m have the meaning given for formula I, L is independently, halogen, CN or alkyl, alkoxy or alkanoyl, each having up to 6 C atoms which is unsubstituted or mono- or polysubstituted by F or Cl, and r is 0, 1 or 2.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
110 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 2, wherein said component B comprises at least one compound of formula II: ##STR21## in which P, X, Y, Z 1 , Z 2 , n and m, and the rings A, B and C have the meaning given and Sp* is an achiral or chiral spacer group with 1 to 16 carbon atoms, and R* is an achiral or chiral alkyl, alkoxy or alkenyl group with 1 to 12 C atoms or denotes halogen or cyano or has one of the meanings given for P--X--(Sp*) m --Y--, with the proviso that at least one of the groups R* and Sp* is chiral.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 2, wherein component B comprises a composition of at least one compound of formula IIa ##STR22## in which P, X, and m have the meaning given, L are independently halogen, CN or alkyl, alkoxy or alkanoyl, each having up to 6 C atoms which is unsubstituted or mono- or polysubstituted by F or Cl, r is 0, 1 or 2, and Sp* is a chiral spacer group.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, wherein said polymerized mesogens are obtained by UV curing of a polymerizable composition comprising a) 15 to 95% by weight of liquid crystalline component A, b) 5 to 85% by weight of liquid crystalline component B, and c) 0.01 to 10% by weight of photoinitator component C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, having a film thickness of about 2 to 15 μm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A circular UV polarizer of claim 1, having a film thickness of 3 to 10 μm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A spatial circular UV modulator which comprises a circular UV polarizer according to claim 1.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
A device for producing linearly polarized UV light comprising a) a UV light emitting source, b) a circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, c) a λ/4 plate with a retardation value of approximately 0.25 times of the wavelength of light that is transmitted by said circular UV polarizer, d) a reflector which re-reflects the circular polarized UV light reflected by said circular UV polarizer with inversion of its handedness, e) optionally a diffusor, and f) optionally a linear UV polarizer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
91 words
A device for producing linearly polarized UV light according to claim 11, wherein the linear UV polarizer is obtained by UV curing of a polymerizable composition which comprises 60 to 99% by weight of a liquid crystalline component composed of one or more achiral mesogenic compounds having at least one polymerizable end group optionally linked via a spacer to the mesogenic core, 0.1 to 30% by weight of a dichroic component that absorbs light in the UV region, and 0.01 to 10% by weight of a photoinitiator or a thermal initiator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A circular UV polarizer of claim 1, wherein the polymerizable composition is cured by UV curing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A circular UV polarizer of claim 2, wherein in formula I, Sp is --(CH 2 ) s --, where s is an integer of 1 to 12.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A circular UV polarizer of claim 2, wherein in formula I, P--X-- is an acrylate, methacrylate, vinyl, vinyloxy, propenyl, propenyloxy, epoxy or styryl group.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, wherein component C is a photoinitiator which absorbs light in the visible spectral range.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, wherein said polymerized mesogens are obtained by UV curing of a polymerizable composition comprising: a) 20 to 85% by weight of liquid crystalline component A, b) 10 to 75% by weight of mesogenic compound B, and c) 0.1 to 5% by weight of photoinitiator or thermal initiator component C.
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