The present invention relates to
cellulose esters having low hydroxyl content for use in optical applications, such as
liquid crystal display (LCD) films. Films made with low hydroxyl levels and a given ratio of non-acetyl ester to hydroxyl level have been found to have low intrinsic
birefringence. Therefore, these films can be cast, molded, or otherwise oriented without an appreciable
birefringence or
optical distortion (i.e. retardation). Such features make these films useful in
polarizer, protective, and compensator films as well as molded optical parts, such as lenses. Furthermore, it has also been found that resins of the present invention can also be made to have “+C plate” behavior either by melt or
solvent based
processing, a characteristic which is not typical of
cellulose esters. Such +C behavior allows films to be produced having unique compensatory behavior. Other embodiments of the invention relate to methods melt
casting films while minimizing
birefringence formation. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to films made from the
cellulose esters described herein further comprising a
plasticizer.