| abstract |
[PROBLEMS] To develop a liquid crystal material capable of exhibiting a blue phase over a sufficiently wide temperature range so as to be practically used as an optical modulation element. SOLUTION: A low-molecular liquid crystal capable of exhibiting a blue phase between a cholesteric phase and an isotropic phase, and a polymer network formed in the low-molecular liquid crystal and formed of a non-liquid crystal monomer (for example, an alkyl group side) (Polymer network / low-molecular liquid crystal) for optical modulation elements composed of a blue phase of a composite liquid crystal composition comprising a polymer network formed by polymerizing an acrylate monomer having a chain) with a crosslinking agent. Liquid crystal material. It is produced by dispersing a monomer and a crosslinking agent in a low-molecular liquid crystal and performing polymerization at a temperature at which a blue phase is maintained. It is possible to obtain a liquid crystal material in which the temperature range for exhibiting a blue phase extends over 60 ° C. or more around room temperature. |