Patent ID: 6666989
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: C08G,C09K

Abstract:
A method of making an electro-optic device comprising the steps:forming a cell comprising two cell walls spaced apart, the walls inner surfaces having formed thereon electrode structures; providing a mixture comprising a monomer material and a cationic initiator; introducing the mixture between the cell walls; and polymerising the mixture to form a polymer of general formula (I): wherein X, X1, X2 are independently selected from straight or branched C1-16 alkyl, halogen and H; Z=single covalent bond, oxygen CO2, OCO; n=1-20; Y=oxygen, CO2, OCO, CH2, CHOH, CH2O; m=3-10,000;  is a mesogenic group defined from the general structure (II): &Parenopenst;Aâ€”W1&Parenclosest;&Parenopenst;Bâ€”W2&Parenclosest;&Parenopenst;D&Parenclosest;Qâ€ƒâ€ƒII where A, B, and D are independently selected from: where W1 and W2 are independently selected from a single covalent bond, COO, OCO, and O; Q is selected from: R, OR, COOR, where R may be chiral, straight or branched chain alkyl and may include from 1-16 carbon atoms and including where when R is chiral or branched chain alkyl then one or more non-adjacent CH2 groups may be substituted by CH(CN), CH(CF3), CH(Cl), CH(CH3), CHF; when R is straight chain alkyl then one or more non-adjacent CH2 groups are substituted by CH(CN), CH(CF3), CH(Cl), CH(CH3), CHF; the substituents on the phenyl rings indicate that at least one and up to four substituents may be present on each ring.