Liquid-crystal composition containing anthraquinone compound and light-modulating element

A liquid crystal composition comprising:

• (A) dye compounds;
• and
• (B) a liquid crystal material, wherein
• the dye compounds (A) include:
• (i) an anthraquinone compound represented by general formula (1):
• wherein one of X and Y represents a hydroxy group, and another of X and Y represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group, or an amino group,
• one of R1 and R2 represents a hydrogen atom, and another of R1 and R2 represents a substituent represented by formula (a):
• wherein R1 represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, a linear or branched alkoxy group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, or a substituent represented by formula (b):
• wherein R8 represents a linear alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms or a branched alkyl group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, and Z1 represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom,
• provided that when X is a hydroxy group and Y is a hydrogen atom or an amino group, R1 represents a substituent represented by formula (a), and R2 represents a hydrogen atom, and when X is a hydrogen atom or an amino group and Y is a hydroxy group, R1 represents a hydrogen atom, and R2 represents a substituent represented by formula (a),
• R3 represents a hydrogen atom, a linear alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms or a branched alkyl group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, a linear alkoxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms or a branched alkoxy group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or a substituent represented by formula (b), and R4 represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, a linear or branched alkoxy group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, or a substituent represented by formula (b);
• (ii) an anthraquinone compound represented by general formula (2):
• wherein R5 represents a linear alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or a branched alkyl group having 3 to 18 carbon atoms or a linear alkoxy group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or a branched alkoxy group having 3 to 18 carbon atoms, and Re represents a linear alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or a branched alkyl group having 3 to 18 carbon atoms, a linear alkoxy group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or a branched alkoxy group having 3 to 18 carbon atoms, or a substituent represented by formula (b);
• and
• (iii) a dye compound other than the anthraquinone compound represented by general formula (1) or the anthraquinone compound represented by general formula (2), and
• a mass ratio between the anthraquinone compound represented by general formula (1) and the anthraquinone compound represented by general formula (2) is from 2:1 to 1:2.