Patent ID: 6531195
Filing Date: 2003-03-11
Classification: C09K,G02B,G02F

Abstract:
A process for orienting rod-like liquid crystal molecules, comprising the steps of: coating a solution of a copolymer comprising repeating units represented by the formula (I) and repeating units represented by the formula (II) or (III) on a support to form a coated layer; rubbing a surface of the coated layer to form an orientation layer; coating a solution containing rod-like liquid crystal molecules on the orientation layer; and then drying the solution to orient the rod-like liquid crystal molecules so that an average direction of lines obtained by projecting long axes of the liquid crystal molecules on the support is essentially perpendicular to a rubbing direction of the orientation layer: in which each of R1 and R2 independently is hydrogen, a halogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; M is proton, an alkali metal ion or an ammonium ion; L0 is a divalent linking group selected from the group consisting of â€”Oâ€”, â€”COâ€”, â€”NHâ€”, â€”SO2â€”, an alkylene group, an alkenylene group, an arylene group and a combination thereof; R0 is a hydrocarbon group having 10 to 100 carbon atoms or a fluorine atom-substituted hydrocarbon group having 1 to 100 carbon atoms; Cy is an alicyclic group, an aromatic group or a heterocyclic group; m is 10 to 99 mole %; and n is 1 to 90 mole %.