Optical member, polarization member, and display device employing polymer film

An optical member comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• a polymer film disposed on the substrate,
• wherein the polymer film comprises a binder and metal oxide particles,
• the binder comprises a first polymer component and a second polymer component,
• the first polymer component and the second polymer component are miscible with each other,
• the metal oxide particles are unevenly distributed in a thickness direction of the polymer film with a relatively greater concentration of the metal oxide particles being located toward at least one of a surface portion and an other surface portion of the polymer film that is opposite the surface portion in the thickness direction,
• the first polymer component is hydrophilic,
• the second polymer component is hydrophobic relative to the first polymer component,
• a proportion of the first polymer component gradually decreases from the surface portion to the other surface portion, and
• the surface portion is a portion of the polymer film located closest to the substrate.

A polarization member comprising:

• a polarization layer that polarizes light;
• and
• a polymer film disposed on the polarization layer,
• wherein the polymer film comprises a binder and metal oxide particles,
• the binder comprises a first polymer component and a second polymer component,
• the first polymer component and the second polymer component are miscible with each other,
• the metal oxide particles are unevenly distributed in a thickness direction of the polymer film with a relatively greater concentration of the metal oxide particles being located toward at least one of a surface portion of the polymer film and an other surface portion of the polymer film that is opposite the surface portion in the thickness direction,
• the first polymer component is hydrophilic,
• the second polymer component is hydrophobic relative to the first polymer component,
• a proportion of the first polymer component gradually decreases from the surface portion to the other surface portion, and
• the surface portion is a portion of the polymer film located closest to the polarization layer.