Dimming laminate and smart window comprising the same

Abstract

Provided are a dimming laminate and a smart window which are not deformed, have no apparent defects such as air bubbles and black spots, and are smoothly driven.SOLUTION: A first laminate including first polarizing plate 210 and first transparent conductive layer 310, a second laminate facing the first laminate and including second polarizing plate 220 and second transparent conductive layer 320, and liquid-crystal layer 400 disposed between the first laminate and the second laminate, the first laminate and the second laminate each having a Martens hardness (HM) of 1mN / 100N or more and mm2 / 430N or less when a load of mm2 pressing force is applied for 15 seconds using a nanoindenter, wherein an elastic recovery rate (nIT) satisfies a range of 40% to 87%, and a smart window comprising the same.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a light control laminate and a smart window including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Typically, glass windows of vehicles such as cars are coated with an external light blocking coating. However, conventional glass windows of vehicles have a fixed transmittance, and the external light blocking coating also has a fixed transmittance. Therefore, the overall transmittance of such conventional vehicle windows is fixed, which can lead to accidents. For example, if the overall transmittance is set low, there is no problem during the day when there is sufficient ambient light. However, there is a problem that drivers have difficulty properly checking the surroundings of the vehicle when there is insufficient ambient light, such as at night. Alternatively, if the overall transmittance is set high, there is a problem that drivers may experience glare during the day when there is sufficient ambient light. For this reason, a light-controllable laminate capable of changing light transmittance when a voltage is applied has been developed. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-010035 discloses a variable transmittance light-controllable laminate including a transparent conductive layer formed on a polycarbonate (PC) substrate having a predetermined thickness.

[0003] However, such light-controllable laminates are manufactured by sandwiching a liquid crystal layer between two laminated structures including a polarizer and a transparent conductive layer. During the manufacturing process of the light-controllable laminate, the polarizer and / or transparent conductive layer may not recover after being pressed against the liquid crystal layer, resulting in bubbles and black spots, preventing smooth operation. In particular, if a composite layer is formed by directly contacting a polarizer and a transparent conductive layer without using a separate substrate to form the conductive layer of the variable transmittance control laminate, with the aim of simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing its thickness, the lack of a separate substrate typically requires additional development to improve mechanical properties or achieve excellent appearance quality, rather than ensuring a thin layer thickness. Therefore, there is a need for the development of a polarizer and transparent conductive layer laminate that is particularly suitable for smart windows, ensuring a thin thickness while also providing excellent appearance and mechanical properties. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-10035 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a light-control laminate that minimizes the occurrence of bubbles and black spots and allows for smooth operation by adjusting the Martens hardness and elastic recovery rate of the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate, particularly when the polarizer and transparent conductive layer are formed in direct contact with each other.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a light-control laminate including a polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate having a Martens hardness and elastic recovery rate particularly suitable for smart windows, and a smart window including the same.

[0007] However, the problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device comprising: a first laminate including a first polarizing plate and a first transparent conductive layer; a second laminate facing the first laminate and including a second polarizing plate and a second transparent conductive layer; and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first laminate and the second laminate, wherein the first laminate and the second laminate each have a Martens hardness (HM) of 100 N / mm when a load of 1 mN is applied for 15 seconds to the surface of the laminate in the lamination direction using a nanoindenter. 2 More than 430N / mm 2 The light-control laminate has an elastic recovery rate (nIT) of 40% or more and 87% or less.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer may each independently include one or more selected from the group consisting of transparent conductive oxides, metals, carbon-based materials, conductive polymers, conductive inks, and nanowires.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first polarizer and the second polarizer may each independently be any one of an iodine-based polarizer, a polyene-based polarizer, and a dye-based polarizer.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first polarizer and the second polarizer may each independently have a thickness of 30 to 300 μm.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first polarizer and the second polarizer may each independently include a hard coating layer, and the hard coating layer may include an inorganic filler.

[0013] In another example of the present invention, the inorganic filler may include silica particles having an average particle size of 20 nm or less.

[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, the hard coating layer may be formed to a thickness of 3 to 25 μm.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first laminated body may further include a first glass at an outer periphery thereof, and the second laminated body may further include a second glass at an outer periphery thereof.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, a first bonding layer may be further included between the first laminate and the first glass, and a second bonding layer may be further included between the second laminate and the second glass, and the bonding layer may be one or more selected from PVB (poly vinyl butyral) and EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate).

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer may be formed in direct contact with the first polarizer or the second polarizer without a separate substrate therebetween.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first polarizing plate and the second polarizing plate may include one or more functional layers selected from the group consisting of a protective layer, a retardation adjusting layer, and a refractive index adjusting layer.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the light-control laminate may further include at least one of an adhesive layer and an ultraviolet absorbing layer.

[0020] The invention also relates to smart windows that include a light control stack according to one or other embodiments of the invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the light-control laminate of the present invention, the Martens hardness and elastic recovery rate of the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate located above and below the liquid crystal layer can be adjusted to minimize bubbles and black spots, thereby enabling smooth operation of the transmittance variable function, and in particular, a light-control laminate suitable for smart windows can be manufactured.

[0022] In addition, according to the photochromic laminate of the present invention, the conductive layer is formed directly on one side of the polarizer, and a separate substrate for forming the conductive layer is not required, so the thickness can be significantly reduced compared to conventional photochromic laminates.

[0023] Furthermore, as described above, the polarizing plate-transparent conductive layer laminate has excellent Martens hardness and elastic recovery rate, so that a strong light-control laminate can be provided even if it is thin. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the layer structure of a light-control laminate according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the structure of a polarizing plate-transparent conductive layer laminate, which is the subject of evaluation of compression properties according to one example of the present invention. [Figure 3a] FIG. 3a is a diagram showing a cross section of a light control laminate according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3b] FIG. 3b is a diagram showing a cross section of a light-control laminate including Comparative Example 1 in the experimental examples of the present invention. [Figure 4a] FIG. 4a is a diagram showing a stack structure of a polarizer according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 4b] FIG. 4b is a diagram showing a stack structure of a polarizer according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 4c] FIG. 4c shows a stack structure of a polarizer according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 4d] FIG. 4d shows a stack structure of a polarizer according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 4e]FIG. 4e is a diagram illustrating a stack structure of a polarizer according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device comprising: a first laminate including a first polarizer and a first transparent conductive layer; a second laminate facing the first laminate and including a second polarizer and a second transparent conductive layer; and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first laminate and the second laminate, wherein the first laminate and the second laminate each have a Martens hardness (HM) of 100 N / mm 2 More than 430N / mm 2 The present invention relates to a light-controlling laminate having an elastic recovery rate (nIT) of 40% or more and 87% or less, and a smart window including the light-controlling laminate.

[0026] More specifically, the first and second laminates are fixed on glass using an adhesive, and then a nanoindenter is used to press the surfaces of the laminates in the lamination direction, applying a load of 1 mN for 15 seconds. When this load is applied, the Martens hardness (HM) is 100 N / mm 2 More than 430N / mm 2 The adhesive may be one having a hardness of 40% or less and an elastic recovery rate (nIT) adjusted to be within a range of 40% or more and 87% or less. The adhesive is not particularly limited in type or thickness as long as it is used for the purpose of fixing the first laminate and the second laminate on a nanoindenter, and may be used within a range that does not affect the Martens hardness of the first laminate and the second laminate.

[0027] In one embodiment of the present invention, if the Martens hardness of the first laminate and the second laminate is less than 100 MPa, impact resistance may be reduced, and if it exceeds 430 MPa, flex resistance may be reduced.

[0028] The light-control laminate and smart window of the present invention have excellent Martens hardness, which prevents deformation and allows the shape to be maintained, and excellent elastic recovery rate, which allows recovery after being pressed, so that they can be manufactured without appearance defects such as bubbles and black spots, and have the advantage of smooth operation of the transmittance-changing function.

[0029] In the present invention, the Martens hardness is the hardness measured under a test load (indentation), and may be determined from the value of the load-indentation depth curve as the load increases. The Martens hardness includes both plastic and elastic deformation components. The Martens hardness is defined for a square pyramidal indenter and a triangular pyramidal indenter. Specifically, as shown in the following equation 1, it is defined as the value obtained by dividing the test load F by the surface area As penetrated by the indenter from the zero point of contact.

[0030] <Expression 1> Martens hardness = F / As The Martens hardness can be obtained, for example, from a load-indentation depth test in accordance with the method specified in ISO 14577. An example of a specific measurement method is shown below.

[0031] The indentation test is performed according to the ISO 14577 procedure. The test equipment is an ultra-microhardness tester (e.g., Fischer Instruments, trade name "Fischerscope 100C"), and the indenter is a pyramidal diamond indenter with a square base and a 136° facing angle. Specifically, the test object is fixed to a glass surface with a thickness of several hundred microns using an adhesive with a thickness of several microns. The load application and removal times are set to 15 seconds. The test temperature is set to 23°C, and the indenter is pressed into the surface of the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate at a constant speed, applying a 1 mN load for 15 seconds. The Martens hardness is calculated by applying a load (1 mN) to the surface of the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate and dividing the load by the surface area of ​​the indenter that penetrates beyond the zero contact point.

[0032] The light-control laminate of the present invention is particularly suitable for technical fields in which light transmittance can be changed by applying a voltage, and may be used, for example, in smart windows.

[0033] A smart window is an optical structure that controls the amount of light or heat passing through by changing its light transmittance in response to the application of an electrical signal. That is, a smart window can be changed between transparent, opaque, or translucent depending on the voltage applied, and is also called variable transmittance glass, light-control glass, or smart glass.

[0034] Smart windows can be used to divide the interior space of vehicles and buildings or as partitions for privacy, or as light windows placed in openings in buildings. They can also be used for highway signs, bulletin boards, odometers, clocks, or advertising screens, and can be used to replace glass in vehicles such as windows or sunroofs in automobiles, buses, airplanes, ships, or trains.

[0035] The light control laminate of the present invention can also be used in smart windows in the various technical fields mentioned above, but since the conductive layer is formed directly on the polarizer and therefore does not require a separate substrate for forming the conductive layer, it is thin and has advantageous bending properties, making it particularly suitable for use in smart windows for vehicles or buildings. In one or more embodiments, a smart window using the light control laminate of the present invention can be used as a front window, rear window, side window, or sunroof window of an automobile, or as building fixtures, and in addition to blocking external light, it can also be used as an interior partition or for privacy purposes to divide the interior space of an automobile or building.

[0036] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. However, the following drawings attached to this specification are intended to illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and to further understand the technical concept of the present invention together with the above-described content of the invention, and therefore the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the details shown in these drawings.

[0037] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, the singular includes the plural unless otherwise specified. For example, the term "polarizer" used herein may refer to at least one of a first polarizer and a second polarizer, and the term "transparent conductive layer" may refer to at least one of a first transparent conductive layer and a second transparent conductive layer.

[0038] As used herein, the words "comprises" and / or "comprising" do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations and / or elements other than the stated components, steps, operations and / or elements. The same reference numerals refer to the same components throughout the specification.

[0039] Spatially relative terms such as "below," "bottom," "lower," "upper," "top," "top," and the like may be used to easily describe the relationship of one element or component to another, as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms should be understood to encompass different orientations of elements in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if an element depicted in the figures is inverted, an element described as "below" or "below" another element may also be positioned "above" the other element. Thus, the exemplary term "below" may encompass both an orientation of below and above. Elements may be oriented in other directions, and thus the spatially relative terms may be interpreted accordingly.

[0040] In the present invention, the "outer portion" may refer to the outermost portion of the light-control laminate, and may be a concept opposite to the liquid crystal layer located at the center of the light-control laminate, for example.

[0041] As used herein, the "planar direction" can be interpreted as the direction perpendicular to the polarizer and / or transparent conductive layer, ie, the direction viewed from the user's viewing side.

[0042] <Light-control laminate> The light-controlling laminate of the present invention may include a first laminate including a first polarizer 210 and a first transparent conductive layer 310, a second laminate facing the first laminate including a second polarizer 220 and a second transparent conductive layer 320, and a liquid crystal layer 400 disposed between the first laminate and the second laminate.

[0043] 1 is a diagram showing the layer structure of a light-controlling stack according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the light-controlling stack according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a first polarizer 210, a second polarizer 220, a liquid crystal layer 400, a first transparent conductive layer 310, and a second transparent conductive layer 320.

[0044] The light-control laminate of the present invention may be suitably applied to, for example, smart windows. In particular, in smart windows, where a polarizer must include an additional element such as an electrode, the compression properties are not determined solely by the properties of the materials contained in the polarizer and transparent conductive layer, but vary depending on the components. Therefore, taking this into consideration, the compression properties of the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate, particularly the hardness and elastic recovery rate, can be adjusted by adding a hard coating layer to the polarizer, using a material with a high molecular weight, increasing or decreasing the thickness of the transparent conductive layer, or using a material with a structure that has excellent hardness characteristics. If the hardness is too high, cracks and other defects may occur during the bonding process.

[0045] Specifically, the light-controlling laminate according to the present invention can be manufactured with suitable Martens hardness and elastic recovery rate by adjusting the thickness of the hard coating layer formed on the polarizer, whether or not inorganic filler is added to the hard coating layer, and the thickness of the transparent conductive layer. By adjusting the components as described above, the Martens hardness and elastic recovery rate of the first and second laminates can be adjusted to Martens hardness (HM) 100 N / mm 2 More than 430N / mm 2 Hereinafter, when the elastic recovery rate (nIT) satisfies the range of 40% to 87%, the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate is determined to have sufficient mechanical properties, and the phenomenon of deformation of the shape due to compression and the generation of bubbles, which occurs during the process of bonding the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate with the liquid crystal layer, may not occur. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a light-control laminate that has excellent Martens hardness, does not undergo deformation, and therefore maintains its shape, and has excellent elastic recovery rate, which allows recovery after compression and therefore does not cause any apparent defects.

[0046] In this case, if either one or more of the first and second laminates does not satisfy the above range, the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate will shrink significantly, making it difficult for the bonding layer to maintain its fixation, resulting in wrinkles in the laminate, which may cause appearance defects such as bubbles and black spots, or may even cause the light-control laminate to be unable to operate.

[0047] Transparent appearance and visibility are very important factors in smart windows, and unlike conventional displays such as LCDs, smart windows do not include a supporting substrate between the laminate, and the polarizer has a significant impact on appearance due to its structural characteristics. Therefore, instead of ensuring a thin layer, it may be necessary to improve mechanical properties or to conduct additional development to achieve excellent appearance quality. Therefore, in order for a light-control laminate to be used in smart windows, the hardness of the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate must be taken into consideration. From this perspective, Martens hardness is useful for identifying defects and trends that occur in composite layers because it comprehensively reflects the physical properties of the lower layers.

[0048] The bubbles and / or black spots may occur on the outer periphery of the first and second laminates of the light-control laminate, particularly on the surfaces where the first and second laminates are adjacent to glass, etc. For example, referring to Fig. 3b, in which a defect occurs, when a smart window including a light-control laminate exhibiting the phenomenon shown in Fig. 3b is manufactured, the visually visible black spots may not occur in specific areas such as the periphery or center, but may spread so severely throughout that the window is practically unusable.

[0049] The first and second stacks may or may not be identical to each other. Polarizing plates 210, 220 The first polarizer 210 and the second polarizer 220 may each independently be any one of an iodine-based polarizer, a polyene-based polarizer, and a dye-based polarizer. In particular, an iodine-based polarizer has high transmittance and is therefore suitable for smart windows.

[0050] In one or more embodiments, the first polarizing plate and the second polarizing plate may each have a thickness of 30 to 300 μm, preferably 30 to 250 μm, and more preferably 50 to 200 μm. If the thickness of the substrate is less than 30 μm, impact resistance may be reduced, and if it exceeds 300 μm, bending resistance may be relatively reduced.

[0051] 4a to 4e, the first polarizer 210 and the second polarizer 220 each include a polarizer 201, and may further include functional layers, such as a protective layer 202, a retardation control layer 203, and a refractive index control layer 204, on one or both sides of the polarizer. In this case, the functional layers included in the first polarizer and the second polarizer may have the same configuration or different configurations, and the Martens hardness and elastic recovery rate of the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate may be adjusted depending on the types and thicknesses of the layers constituting the polarizer and the thickness of the conductive layer.

[0052] For example, the polarizing plate may include a polarizer 201 and a protective layer 202 stacked on one or both sides of the polarizer 201 (see FIGS. 4a and 4b), a polarizer 201, a protective layer 202 stacked on one side of the polarizer 201, and a phase difference adjusting layer 203 stacked on the other side of the polarizer 201 opposite to the one side (see FIG. 4c), a polarizer 201, a protective layer 202 stacked on one side of the polarizer, and a phase difference adjusting layer 203 and a refractive index adjusting layer 204 stacked in sequence on the other side of the polarizer 201 opposite to the one side (see FIG. 4d), or a polarizer 201, a protective layer 202 stacked on one side of the polarizer, and a protective layer 202 and a phase difference adjusting layer 203 stacked in sequence on the other side of the polarizer 201 opposite to the one side (see FIG. 4e).

[0053] For example, the first polarizing plate and the second polarizing plate may have a first protective layer and a second protective layer on one side and the other side, respectively, of a polarizer such as PVA. The first protective layer and the second protective layer are intended to protect the polarizer and are provided in the same manner as in the protective layer described above. The first protective layer and the second protective layer may be made of the materials described below, specifically, TAC (Cellulose Triacetate) or PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate). The first protective layer and the second protective layer may be bonded to the polarizer using an adhesive. The adhesive may be any adhesive having appropriate adhesive strength, transparency, and thermal stability. The bonding method of the polarizer and the first and / or second protective layer using the adhesive may be a bonding method commonly used in the art. For example, a bonding method may be used in which an adhesive composition is applied to the bonding surface of the polarizer or the protective layer using a flexible coating method, a Mayer bar coating method, a gravure coating method, a die coating method, a dip coating method, a spray coating method, or the like, and then the polarizer or the protective layer is sandwiched between nip rolls or the like to bond them.

[0054] The polarizer 201 may be a conventional or later developed polarizer, such as a stretched polarizer or a coated polarizer.

[0055] In one embodiment, the stretched polarizer may include a stretched polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based resin. The polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based resin may be a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin obtained by saponifying a polyvinyl acetate-based resin. Examples of polyvinyl acetate-based resins include polyvinyl acetate, which is a homopolymer of vinyl acetate, and copolymers of vinyl acetate with other monomers copolymerizable therewith. The other monomers may be unsaturated carboxylic acid-based, unsaturated sulfonic acid-based, olefin-based, vinyl ether-based, or acrylamide-based monomers having an ammonium group. The polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based resin may also be modified, such as polyvinyl formal or polyvinyl acetal modified with aldehydes.

[0056] In one embodiment, the coating type polarizer may be formed using a liquid crystal coating composition, which may include a reactive liquid crystal compound and a dichroic dye.

[0057] The reactive liquid crystal compound may refer to a compound containing a mesogen skeleton and one or more polymerizable functional groups. Such reactive liquid crystal compounds are known in various ways as reactive mesogens (RMs). The reactive liquid crystal compound can be polymerized by light or heat to form a cured film in which a polymer network is formed while maintaining the liquid crystal alignment.

[0058] The reactive liquid crystal compound may be a monofunctional or polyfunctional reactive liquid crystal compound. The monofunctional reactive liquid crystal compound is a compound having one polymerizable functional group, and the polyfunctional reactive liquid crystal compound is a compound having two or more polymerizable functional groups.

[0059] The dichroic dye is a component contained in the liquid crystal coating composition that imparts polarization properties and has different absorbance in the long axis direction and the short axis direction of the molecule. The dichroic dye may be any conventional or later-developed dichroic dye, for example, one or more selected from the group consisting of azo dyes, anthraquinone dyes, perylene dyes, merocyanine dyes, azomethine dyes, phthaloperylene dyes, indigo dyes, dioxazine dyes, polythiophene dyes, and phenoxazine dyes.

[0060] The liquid crystal coating composition may further include a solvent capable of dissolving the reactive liquid crystal compound and the dichroic dye, such as propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), xylene, chloroform, etc. The liquid crystal coating composition may further include a labeling agent, a polymerization initiator, etc., within a range that does not impair the polarization properties of the coating film.

[0061] The protective layer 202 serves to protect the polarization characteristics of the polarizer 201 from post-processing and external environments, and may be implemented in the form of a protective film.

[0062] 4a and 4b, the protective layer 202 may be formed on one or both surfaces of the polarizer 201 in direct contact therewith, but is not limited thereto. For example, the protective layer may be used as a multi-layer structure in which one or more protective layers are successively stacked, or may be formed in direct contact with other functional layers.

[0063] In one or more embodiments, the protective layer 202 may include one or more selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene isophthalate (PEI), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), diacetyl cellulose, triacetyl cellulose (TAC), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polymethyl acrylate (PMA), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethyl acrylate (PEA), polyethyl methacrylate (PEMA), and cyclic olefin polymer (COP).

[0064] The retardation adjusting layer 203 complements the optical properties of the light control laminate and may be implemented in the form of a retardation film, or may be a conventional or later-developed retardation film. For example, to suppress phase delay, a zero retardation plate having an in-plane retardation substantially close to zero may be used, or a quarter-wave plate (1 / 4 wave plate) or a half-wave plate (1 / 2 wave plate) may be used to delay the phase of light, and these may be used alone or in combination.

[0065] As shown in Figures 4c and 4d, the phase difference adjusting layer 203 may be formed on one surface of the polarizer 201 in direct contact therewith, but is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in Figure 4e, the phase difference adjusting layer 203 may be formed on one surface of the protective layer 202, and the polarizer 201, the protective layer 202, and the phase difference adjusting layer 203 may be sequentially stacked.

[0066] The retardation adjusting layer 203 may be a polymer stretched film obtained by stretching a polymer film that can be given optical anisotropy by stretching in an appropriate manner, or a liquid crystal polymer film.

[0067] In one embodiment, the polymer stretched film may be a polymer layer containing polyolefins such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP), cycloolefin polymers (COP) such as polynorbornene, polyesters such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polysulfone (PSU), acrylic resins, polycarbonate (PC), or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyacrylate, cellulose ester polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), or triacetyl cellulose (TAC), or a copolymer of two or more monomers among the monomers forming the polymers.

[0068] The method for obtaining the stretched polymer film is not particularly limited. For example, the polymer material can be molded into a film and then stretched. The film-forming method is not particularly limited. Known methods, such as injection molding, sheet molding, blow molding, injection blow molding, inflation molding, extrusion molding, foam molding, and cast molding, can be used to form the film. Secondary processing methods, such as compressed air molding and vacuum forming, can also be used. Among these, extrusion molding and cast molding are preferred. In this case, the unstretched film can be extruded using, for example, an extruder equipped with a T-die or a circular die. When obtaining a molded product by extrusion molding, a material in which various resin components and additives have been melt-kneaded in advance can be used, or the material can be formed by melt-kneading during extrusion molding. Alternatively, the unstretched film can be cast-molded by dissolving the various resin components in a solvent common to the various resin components, such as chloroform or methylene dichloride, followed by casting, drying, and solidifying.

[0069] The polymer stretched film may be produced by uniaxially stretching the formed film in the mechanical direction (MD; machine direction, lengthwise or longitudinal direction) or uniaxially stretching the formed film in the transverse direction (TD; widthwise or transverse direction) of the mechanical direction. Alternatively, a biaxially stretched film may be produced by stretching the formed film using a method such as sequential biaxial stretching with roll stretching and tenter stretching, simultaneous biaxial stretching with tenter stretching, or biaxial stretching with tubular stretching.

[0070] The liquid crystal polymer film may include a reactive liquid crystal compound in a polymerized state. The reactive liquid crystal compound may be the same as the reactive liquid crystal compound of the coating-type polarizer described above.

[0071] In one or more embodiments, the thickness of the retardation adjusting layer 203 may be 10 to 100 μm in the case of a polymer stretched film, and 0.1 to 5 μm in the case of a liquid crystal polymer film.

[0072] The refractive index adjustment layer 240 is provided to compensate for a refractive index difference of the light control stack due to the transparent conductive layer 200, and may serve to improve visibility by reducing the refractive index difference. The refractive index adjustment layer 240 may also be provided to correct a color caused by the transparent conductive layer. Meanwhile, when the transparent conductive layer has a pattern, the refractive index adjustment layer 240 can compensate for a transmittance difference between a patterned region where the pattern is formed and a non-patterned region where the pattern is not formed.

[0073] Specifically, when the transparent conductive layer is stacked adjacent to another member (e.g., polarizer 201) having a different refractive index, the difference in refractive index between the adjacent layer may cause a difference in light transmittance, and in particular, when a pattern is formed on the transparent conductive layer, the patterned region and the non-patterned region may be visually distinguishable. Therefore, by including the refractive index control layer 240, the refractive index is compensated for, thereby reducing the difference in light transmittance of the light-control stack, and in particular, when a pattern is formed on the transparent conductive layer, the patterned region and the non-patterned region are visually distinguishable.

[0074] In one embodiment, the polarizing plate may further include other functional layers in addition to the above-mentioned functional layers to support or enhance the properties of the polarizer, for example, an overcoat layer to further improve mechanical durability.

[0075] The first and second polarizing plates of the present invention may each independently further include a hard coating layer (not shown). For example, the hard coating layer may be formed on one surface of the polarizing plate, and more preferably, may be located between the polarizing plate and the transparent conductive layer. The hard coating layer may be formed by applying a composition for forming a hard coating layer to another member and then curing it with light or heat. In this case, the composition for forming a hard coating layer is not particularly limited and may include, for example, a photocurable compound and a photoinitiator.

[0076] The photocurable compound and photoinitiator may be those commonly used in the art without any restrictions. For example, the photocurable compound may be a photopolymerizable monomer, a photopolymerizable oligomer, etc., and examples thereof include monofunctional and / or polyfunctional (meth)acrylates. Examples of the photoinitiator include hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone, trimethylbenzoyldiphenylphosphine oxide, acetophenone-based, and oxime ester-based photoinitiators. Commercially available products include Irgacure-184, TPO, and Irgacure-907.

[0077] Additionally, the hard coating layer of the present invention may contain an inorganic filler. Specifically, the hard coating layer composition preferably contains an inorganic filler, since it can achieve better hardness and adjust the thickness of the hard coating layer to improve the physical properties of the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate. In this case, silica particles with an average particle size of 20 nm or less are particularly preferred as the inorganic filler. While there are no limitations on the silica particles used in the manufacturing process, it is preferable to use a colloidal silica sol dispersed in water or an organic solvent. By including an inorganic filler that satisfies these requirements, the polarizer having the hard coating layer can ensure sufficient hardness and prevent curling. If the average particle size of the silica particles exceeds 20 nm, the transparency of the light-control laminate may decrease or the surface condition may deteriorate.

[0078] Specific examples of commercially available dispersed silica sols include the PURISOL-O series (manufactured by GAEMA TECH), the CATALOID-S series (manufactured by Catalysts and Chemical Industries), and the YGS-series (manufactured by YOUNG IL CHMICAL).

[0079] The hard coating layer may be formed to a thickness of 3 to 25 μm. Forming a hard coating layer on a polarizer within this range satisfies the thickness required to impart appropriate Martens hardness and elastic recovery to a polarizer-conductive layer laminate including the polarizer, thereby ensuring mechanical properties and advantageously maintaining a thinner light-control laminate. A thickness less than 3 μm may result in insufficient hardness or insufficient Martens hardness. A thickness greater than 25 μm may increase the amount of resin used to form the hard coating layer, leading to increased manufacturing costs, increased susceptibility to damage such as wrinkles, and reduced elastic recovery. In particular, if one or more of the first and second laminates includes a hard coating layer with a thickness exceeding this range, the light-control laminate including the first and second laminates may exhibit black spots or curling on the side including the hard coating layer, or may exhibit poor operation.

[0080] The light-controlling laminate of the present invention may further include other components within the scope of the present invention, and may further include, for example, one or more of an adhesive layer and an ultraviolet absorbing layer.

[0081] The ultraviolet absorbing layer is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of preventing deterioration of the light-controlling laminate due to ultraviolet rays, and examples thereof include salicylic acid-based ultraviolet absorbers (phenyl salicylate, p-tert-butyl salicylate, etc.), benzophenone-based ultraviolet absorbers (2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone, 2,2'-dihydroxy-4,4'-dimethoxybenzophenone, etc.), benzotriazole-based ultraviolet absorbers (2-(2'-hydroxy-5'-methylphenyl)benzotriazole, 2-(2'-hydroxy-3',5'-di-t 2-(2'-hydroxy-3'-tert-butylphenyl)benzotriazole, 2-(2'-hydroxy-3',5'-di-tert-butylphenyl)-5-chlorobenzotriazole, 2-(2'-hydroxy-3'-(3'',4'',5'',6''-tetrahydrophthalimidomethyl)-5'-methylphenyl)benzotriazole, 2,2-methylenebis(4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-6-(2H-benzotriazo 2-(2'-hydroxy-3'-tert-butyl-5'-methylphenyl)-5-chlorobenzotriazole, 2-(2'-hydroxy-3'-tert-butyl-5'-(2-octyloxycarbonylethyl)-phenyl)-5-chlorobenzotriazole, 2-(2'-hydroxy-3'-(1-methyl-1-phenylethyl)-5'-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-phenyl)benzotriazole, 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-6-(linear and side chain dodecyl)-4-methylphenol, a mixture of octyl-3-[3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-5-(chloro-2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)phenyl]propionate and 2-ethylhexyl-3-[3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-5-(5-chloro-2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)phenyl]propionate, etc.), cyanoacrylate ultraviolet absorbers (2'-ethylhexyl-2-cyano-3,3-diphenylacrylate, ethyl-2-cyano-3-(3',4'-methylenedioxyphenyl)acrylate, triazine-based UV absorbers, etc. may also be used, and benzotriazole-based UV absorbers or triazine-based UV absorbers, which have high transparency and are excellent in preventing deterioration of polarizing plates and transmittance-variable layers, are preferred, and benzotriazole-based UV absorbers with a more suitable spectral absorption spectrum are particularly preferred. The benzotriazole-based UV absorbers may be bis(bis)-modified, such as 6,6'-methylenebis(2-(2H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazol-2-yl)-4-(2,4,4-trimethylpentan-2-yl)phenol) or 6,6'-methylenebis(2-(2H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazol-2-yl)-4-(2-hydroxyethyl)phenol).

[0082] Transparent conductive layers 310, 320 The transparent conductive layers 310 and 320 are provided to drive the liquid crystal layer 400, and at least one of the first and second transparent conductive layers may be formed in direct contact with the first or second polarizer without a separate substrate between them. In this case, it is possible to manufacture a thin light-control stack while maintaining the optical properties of the first and second polarizers.

[0083] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the first transparent conductive layer 310 may be formed in direct contact with the first polarizer 210, and the second transparent conductive layer 320 may be formed in direct contact with the second polarizer 220.

[0084] Conventional light-control laminates used in the manufacture of smart windows and the like are manufactured by forming a conductive layer for driving liquid crystals on one side of the substrate and laminating the other side of the substrate with a polarizer. However, the light-control laminate of the present invention does not include a separate substrate for forming the conductive layer, and instead forms the conductive layer directly on one side of the polarizer, thereby reducing the thickness of the laminate and improving the transmittance and bending characteristics in the light-transmitting mode.

[0085] In one embodiment, the first transparent conductive layer 310 and / or the second transparent conductive layer 320 formed in direct contact with at least one of the first polarizer 210 and the second polarizer 220 means that the first transparent conductive layer 310 and / or the second transparent conductive layer 320 share a contact surface with the first polarizer 210 and / or the second polarizer 220 and are formed on the polarizer without a separate substrate. For example, the first transparent conductive layer 310 and / or the second transparent conductive layer 320 may be formed by depositing the first transparent conductive layer 310 and / or the second transparent conductive layer 320 on the upper surface of a coating layer formed on the first polarizer 210 and / or the second polarizer 220. In this case, the first transparent conductive layer 310 and / or the second transparent conductive layer 320 may be formed in direct contact with the pre-treated surface of the polarizer after pre-treatment such as corona treatment or plasma treatment is performed on one surface of the polarizer to improve adhesion to at least one of the first polarizer 210 and the second polarizer 220. The pretreatment is not limited to corona treatment or plasma treatment, and any conventional or later developed pretreatment process may be used within the scope of the present invention.

[0086] In another embodiment of the present invention, the first transparent conductive layer 310 and / or the second transparent conductive layer 320, which are formed in direct contact with at least one of the first polarizer 210 and the second polarizer 220, may be formed in direct contact with the polarizer via an easy-adhesion layer (not shown for convenience) provided on one side of the polarizer to improve adhesion to the polarizer. The easy-adhesion layer may be made of a conventional or later-developed adhesive. In one or more embodiments, an acrylic adhesive, a rubber adhesive, a silicone adhesive, a urethane adhesive, a polyvinyl alcohol adhesive, a polyvinylpyrrolidone adhesive, a polyacrylamide adhesive, a cellulose adhesive, a vinyl alkyl ether adhesive, or the like may be used. The adhesive is not particularly limited as long as it has adhesive strength and viscoelasticity. However, from the viewpoint of availability, an acrylic adhesive may be used, and may contain, for example, a (meth)acrylate copolymer, a crosslinker, and a solvent.

[0087] The transparent conductive layer may be formed by a method commonly used in the art, such as coating processes including spin coating, roller coating, bar coating, dip coating, gravure coating, curtain coating, die coating, spray coating, doctor coating, and kneader coating; printing (coating) processes including screen printing, spray printing, inkjet printing, relief printing, intaglio printing, and planographic printing; and deposition processes including chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD).

[0088] In the light-controlling laminate of the present invention, at least one of the first transparent conductive layer 310 and the second transparent conductive layer 320 may contain one or more materials selected from the group consisting of transparent conductive oxides, metals, carbon-based materials, conductive polymers, conductive inks, and nanowires, but is not limited thereto, and any conventional or later-developed transparent conductive layer material may be used.

[0089] In one or more embodiments, the transparent conductive oxide may include one or more selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO), aluminum zinc oxide (AZO), gallium zinc oxide (GZO), fluorine tin oxide (FTO), and zinc oxide (ZnO).

[0090] The metal may include one or more selected from the group consisting of gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), chromium (Cr), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), vanadium (V), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and alloys containing at least one of these, and may include, for example, a silver-palladium-copper (APC) alloy or a copper-calcium (CuCa) alloy.

[0091] The carbon-based material may include at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene.

[0092] The conductive polymer may be a conventional or later developed conductive polymer material, for example, polythiophene, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polyaniline, polyacetylene, polydiacetylene, polyphenylene, polyphenylene vinylene, polyphenylene sulfide, polythienylene vinylene, polythiophene vinylene, polyfluorene, polypyrrole, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):camphorsulfonic acid, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):toluene. The conductive polymer may contain one or more selected from the group consisting of sulfonic acid, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, polyaniline:polystyrenesulfonate, polyaniline:camphorsulfonic acid, polypyrrole:polystyrenesulfonate, polypyrrole:camphorsulfonic acid, polypyrrole:toluenesulfonic acid, polypyrrole:dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, polythiophene:polystyrenesulfonate, polythiophene:camphorsulfonic acid, polythiophene:toluenesulfonic acid, and polythiophene:dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid. Conductive polymers do not generate relatively high temperatures during the vapor deposition process, which can prevent deformation of the polarizing plate during the process. Therefore, it is particularly preferable to use conductive polymers that can be molded at lower temperatures.

[0093] The conductive ink may be an ink containing a metal powder mixed with a curable polymer binder, and the nanowires may be, for example, silver nanowires (AgNWs).

[0094] Alternatively, the first transparent conductive layer 310 and the second transparent conductive layer 320 may be formed as a two-layer structure using a combination of the above materials, for example, a two-layer structure including a metal layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer to reduce the reflectance and increase the transmittance of incident light.

[0095] In one embodiment, the transparent conductive layer may have a thickness of 5 μm or less, preferably 3 μm or less. In this case, the transparent conductive layer ensures a predetermined transmittance and has strong compressive properties, making it possible to manufacture a thin light-control stack. Furthermore, the thinner the thickness, the more the composite hardness and elastic recovery rate can be improved.

[0096] Liquid crystal layer The liquid crystal layer 400 can change the driving mode of the light-controlling stack to a light-transmitting mode or a light-blocking mode by adjusting the transmittance of light incident from one or more directions using the electric field generated by the transparent conductive layer.

[0097] The liquid crystal compound is not particularly limited as long as it is driven by an electric field and can control light transmittance, and any conventional or later-developed liquid crystal compound may be used. For example, the above-described reactive liquid crystal compound of the coating-type polarizer may be similarly applied.

[0098] The liquid crystal behavior mode of the liquid crystal layer 400 is not particularly limited, and for example, TN (Twisted nematic) mode, STN (Super twisted nematic) mode, IPS (In-plane switching) mode, FFS (Fringe-field switching) mode, ECB (Electrically Controlled Birefringence) mode, and VA (Vertical alignment) mode may be used, and from the viewpoint of light transmittance control, TN (Twisted nematic) mode may be preferably used.

[0099] In addition, the liquid crystal layer 400 according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include a sealant layer formed on the outer periphery thereof. The sealant layer serves to bond two different polarizer-transparent conductive layer stacks together and may be located in the inactive region.

[0100] The light-controlling laminate of the present invention may further include other components within the scope of the present invention, for example, glass, an ultraviolet absorbing layer, and an adhesive layer.

[0101] 3a, which illustrates an example of the present invention using the light-control laminate, the light-control laminate shown in FIG. 1 may further include a first glass 110 on the outer periphery of the first laminate and a second glass 120 on the outer periphery of the second laminate. The first glass and / or the second glass may include a glass material that has durability against external impact, transparency that allows a user to view, or flexibility. For example, the first glass and the second glass may each include glass, ceramic, quartz, borosilicate, aluminosilicate, alkali-free, soda-lime glass, wired glass, colored glass, one-way mirror, hologram glass, silicate glass, borate glass, phosphate glass, or other oxide glass.

[0102] In this case, a first bonding layer may be further included between the first laminate and the first glass, and / or a second bonding layer may be further included between the second laminate and the second glass. Specifically, when the light-controlling laminate of the present invention is applied to a smart window, the polarizer is bonded to the glass without wrinkles or warping, as shown in Figure 3a, and bubbles and black spots, as shown in Figure 3b, do not occur. Therefore, to prevent cosmetic defects that may occur during processing, an appropriate bonding layer is required that not only limits thermal stress on the polarizer but also allows the polarizer to adhere to the glass.

[0103] The adhesive layer may be formed from a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition containing an acrylic random copolymer and a tackifier. Any resin that is thermally and chemically stable after curing, such as an ultraviolet-curable resin or a thermosetting resin, can be used as the adhesive layer. For example, when the resin is in the form of a sealant, components commonly used in the art, such as acrylate, epoxy, urethane, and phenolic resins, can be used, as well as resins that are developed later. PVB (poly vinyl butyral) or EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) are particularly preferred. PVB or EVA are preferred in terms of the stability of the adhesive layer under high temperature and high pressure conditions.

[0104] The acrylic random copolymer may contain monomers commonly used in the technical field to which the present invention pertains, within the range that does not reduce elasticity and adhesive strength.

[0105] The method for producing the acrylic random copolymer is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a method commonly used in the technical field to which the present invention pertains, such as bulk polymerization, solution polymerization, emulsion polymerization, suspension polymerization, or UV polymerization, and preferably, solution polymerization or UV polymerization.

[0106] The tackifier may be included together with the acrylic random copolymer to improve the adhesiveness and tackiness of the adhesive layer formed from the adhesive composition.

[0107] The composition for the bonding layer may further contain additives to enhance coating properties, adhesion, etc., as needed by ordinary skilled artisans, without departing from the scope of the present invention. To this end, the composition may further contain components commonly used in the art, such as surfactants, silane coupling agents, antioxidants, UV absorbers, and / or anti-aggregation agents. These may be used alone or in any combination and ratio of two or more.

[0108] The adhesive layer may have a thickness of 5 to 80 μm. When the adhesive layer has a thickness within this range, it has excellent adhesive strength and fixing strength, and can prevent shrinkage of the polarizing plate.

[0109] <Smart windows, automotive and building fixtures> The present invention includes the light-controlling laminate and a smart window including the same. In particular, the light-controlling laminate of the present invention has the excellent advantage that it limits the Martens hardness and elastic recovery rate of a polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate located above or below a liquid crystal layer, thereby enabling the production of a light-controlling laminate that is free of bubbles and black spots and operates smoothly, particularly a light-controlling laminate suitable for a smart window.

[0110] Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to the examples disclosed below, and may be embodied in various different forms. The examples are provided only to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. [Example]

[0111] Manufacturing example 1: Manufacturing a polarizing plate (1) Swelling treatment process A 60 μm thick polyvinyl alcohol film (raw film) (manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd., product name "Kuraray Poval Film VF-PE#6000", average polymerization degree 2400, saponification degree 99.9 mol%) was continuously unwound from a raw roll and transported, and immersed for 30 seconds in a swelling bath containing pure water at 20°C. In this swelling treatment process, inter-roll stretching (longitudinal uniaxial stretching) was performed with a difference in peripheral speed between the nip rolls. The stretching ratio based on the raw film was 2.5 times.

[0112] (2) Dyeing process The film then passed through the nip rolls and was immersed in a dye bath for 120 seconds. During this dyeing process, the film was stretched between the nip rolls (longitudinal uniaxial stretching) with a difference in peripheral speed between the nip rolls. The stretching ratio was 1.1 times, based on the film after the swelling treatment.

[0113] (3) Crosslinking process Next, the film passed through the nip rolls and was immersed in a first crosslinking bath at 56°C for 70 seconds. Roll-to-roll stretching (longitudinal uniaxial stretching) was performed by setting a difference in peripheral speed between the nip rolls and a nip roll prepared between the first and second crosslinking baths. The stretching ratio was 1.9 times based on the film after the dyeing treatment step.

[0114] (4) Complementary color processing process Next, the crosslinked film was immersed in a second crosslinking bath at 40° C. for 10 seconds.

[0115] (5) Cleaning process Next, the film after the second crosslinking treatment was immersed in a cleaning bath containing pure water at 14°C for 5 seconds, and the shower volume was 5 m 3 Washing was performed at 14°C for 1 hour and a shower temperature of 14°C.

[0116] (6) Drying process The washed film was then passed through a drying path and heated and dried at 80°C for 190 seconds to produce a polarizer film. The moisture content after drying was 13.6%, and the thickness of the resulting polarizer film was approximately 21µm.

[0117] (7) Bonding process Next, a water-based adhesive containing 5 parts by weight of polyvinyl alcohol per 100 parts by weight of water was prepared as the adhesive. Then, triacetyl cellulose (TAC) films (40 μm thick) were laminated on both sides of the polarizer film as first and second protective films using the prepared UV adhesive. The resulting laminate was exposed to UV light to harden the adhesive, producing a polarizing plate. The thickness of the adhesive layer in the resulting polarizing plate was approximately 2 μm. The thickness and type of the protective films constituting the polarizing plate are shown in Table 1 below.

[0118] Preparation Example 2-1: Preparation of inorganic filler-containing hard coating composition A hard coating composition was prepared by mixing 15 parts by weight of pentaerythritol triacrylate as a photocurable resin, 30 parts by weight of propylene glycol monomethyl ether dispersed reactive silica sol (average particle size 15 nm, solids 40%), 2.7 parts by weight of 1-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-phenyl-ketone as a photoinitiator, 52 parts by weight of propylene glycol monomethyl ether as a solvent, and 0.3 parts by weight of BYK-UV3570 (BYK) as a labeling agent in a stirrer and filtering the mixture using a PP filter.

[0119] Preparation Example 2-2: Preparation of hard coating composition without inorganic filler A hard coating composition was prepared by mixing 35 parts by weight of a hexafunctional acrylate (PU620D, Miwan Specialty Chemical) as a photocurable resin, 10 parts by weight of hexanediol diacrylate, 2.7 parts by weight of 1-hydroxycyclohexylphenyl ketone as a photoinitiator, 52 parts by weight of propylene glycol monomethyl ether as a solvent, and 0.3 parts by weight of BYK-UV3570 (BYK) as a labeling agent in a stirrer and filtering the mixture using a PP filter.

[0120] Manufacturing example 3: Fabrication of transparent conductive layer (PEDOT) The transparent conductive layer was prepared by mixing conductive polymer solution 1 and solution 2 in a 1:1 ratio. Solution 1 was prepared by mixing 60 wt% of ethenyl benzenesulfonic acid homopolymer compound with 2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b]-1,4-dioxin homopolymer (water-based), 20 wt% of ethyl alcohol, and 20 wt% of deionized water, based on the total weight of solution 1. Solution 2 was prepared by mixing 1.0 wt% of polyester resin (25% solids, water-based), 75 wt% of ethyl alcohol, and 24 wt% of deionized water, based on the total weight of solution 2.

[0121] Examples and Comparative Examples: Fabrication of Polarizer-Transparent Conductive Layer Laminate A first laminate including the first polarizer prepared in Preparation Example 1, the hard coating composition prepared in Preparation Example 2, and the hard coating layer was formed by coating the first polarizer with the hard coating composition prepared in Preparation Example 2, drying the solvent, and irradiating UV light in a nitrogen atmosphere was carried out. A second laminate was then prepared in the same manner as the first laminate. The structures of the Examples and Comparative Examples are as shown in Table 1 below.

[0122] [Table 1]

[0123] -TAC film: Triacetyl Cellulose, Fuji -PVA film: Polyvinyl alcohol - Inorganic filler-containing HC: hard coating composition prepared according to Preparation Example 2-1 - Inorganic filler-free HC: hard coating composition prepared according to Preparation Example 2-2 - PEDOT: transparent conductive layer prepared according to Preparation Example 3 Experimental example: Evaluation of compression properties and process defects (1) Measurement of Martens hardness of the first laminate and the second laminate The polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminates manufactured according to Table 1 above were subjected to an indentation test according to the ISO 14577 procedure. A nanoindenter (Fisher HM500) was used as the testing equipment, and a pyramidal diamond indenter with a square base and a 136° facing angle was used as the indenter. Specifically, the laminates of the examples and comparative examples were fixed to a soda-lime glass surface several hundred microns thick using an adhesive approximately 5 μm thick. The load application and removal times were set to 15 seconds. The test temperature was set to 23°C, and the indenter was pressed into the surface of the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate at a constant speed to apply a load of 1 mN for 15 seconds. The Martens hardness (MPa) was measured using the nanoindenter and is shown in Table 2. The Martens hardness is calculated by dividing the test load F by the surface area As of the indenter penetration beyond the zero contact point, as shown in Equation 1 below.

[0124] <Expression 1> Martens hardness (MPa) = F / As (2) Measurement of the elastic recovery rate of the first laminate and the second laminate The elastic recovery (nIT = Welast / Wtot) of the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate prepared according to Table 1 was measured using a nanoindenter (Fisher HM500), and the results are shown in Table 2. Specifically, a load of 1 mN was applied to the substrate surface of the polarizer using a Vickers tip-shaped indenter for 15 seconds, and the elastic recovery (%) was measured using the nanoindenter and is shown in Table 2.

[0125] (3) Evaluation of process defects in the light-control laminate Using a sealant dispenser (SHOTmini 200Ωx, MUSASHI), sealant (UVF-006, 70,000 mPa·s, SEKISUI) was applied to each transparent conductive layer of the first and second laminates according to the product size drawing using a sharp needle (SPN-0.25-12.7L) at a discharge pressure of 200 mPa. Liquid crystals driven in twisted nematic (TN) mode were then injected onto the alignment film using the ODF process. Then, the first and second polarizers were placed with their transmission axes at 90° to each other and their machine directions (MD) parallel to each other (0°) in the planar direction, and a pressure of 3 kg / cm was applied. 2 The bond was then applied with pressure, followed by UV curing (500 mJ / cm) along the sealant line. 2 ) was carried out.

[0126] The operation results of the manufactured light-control laminate were visually observed to evaluate the process performance for appearance defects such as bubbles and black spots and whether or not the light-control laminate could be operated. The results are shown in Table 2 below.

[0127] <Evaluation criteria> -Excellent: No black spots, normal operation -Black spot defect: Black spot, drive failure - Curl defect: Curl occurs when joining

[0128] [Table 2]

[0129] The Martens hardness (HM) and elastic recovery rate (nIT) of the polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate shown in FIG. 2 were measured and are shown in Table 2. The Martens hardness of both the first laminate and the second laminate was 100 N / mm 2 More than 430N / mm 2In Examples 1 to 6, in which a light-control laminate was manufactured including a polarizer-transparent conductive layer laminate that satisfied the following criteria and had an elastic recovery rate (nIT) of 40% to 87%, no bubbles or black spots were observed visually, operation was smooth, and it was confirmed that no process defects occurred. Meanwhile, in Comparative Examples 1 to 9, the Martens hardness of any one of the first or second laminates included in the light-control laminate was 100 N / mm 2 More than 430N / mm 2 It was confirmed that if the following conditions are not met or if the elastic recovery rate (nIT) is not between 40% and 87%, the appearance is poor and operation is not smooth, making it impossible to use as a light-control laminate included in a smart window.

Claims

1. a first laminate including a first polarizer and a first transparent conductive layer; a second laminate facing the first laminate, the second laminate including a second polarizer and a second transparent conductive layer; and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first stack and the second stack; The first laminate and the second laminate each had a Martens hardness (HM) of 100 N / mm when a load of 1 mN pressure was applied for 15 seconds using a nanoindenter. ２ More than 430N / mm ２ and an elastic recovery rate (nIT) of 40% or more and 87% or less.

2. The light-control stack of claim 1 , wherein the first polarizer and the second polarizer each independently have a thickness of 30 to 300 μm.

3. the first laminate and the second laminate each independently include a hard coating layer; The light control laminate according to claim 1 , wherein the hard coating layer is formed to a thickness of 3 to 25 μm and contains an inorganic filler.

4. The light control laminate according to claim 3 , wherein the inorganic filler contains silica particles having an average particle size of 20 nm or less.

5. The first laminate further includes a first glass in an outer periphery thereof, The light control laminate according to claim 1 , further comprising a second glass in an outer periphery of the second laminate.

6. A first bonding layer is further included between the first laminate and the first glass, Further comprising a second bonding layer between the second laminate and the second glass; The light-control laminate according to claim 4 , wherein the bonding layer is one or more selected from the group consisting of PVB (poly vinyl butylal) and EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate).

7. The light-controlling laminate of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer is formed in direct contact with the first polarizer or the second polarizer without a separate substrate therebetween.

8. The light-controlling laminate of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first polarizing plate and the second polarizing plate includes one or more functional layers selected from the group consisting of a protective layer, a phase difference adjusting layer, and a refractive index adjusting layer.

9. A smart window comprising the light control stack of claim 1 .

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