Liquid crystal light control device and method for producing the same

A method for producing a liquid crystal light control device,

• the device comprising two conductive film-coated substrates disposed so that the conductive films on the substrates face each other, and a liquid crystal-resin composite sandwiched between the two conductive film-coated substrates, the liquid crystal-resin composite having a resin matrix and liquid crystal microparticles dispersed in the resin matrix,
• the method comprising:
• step a) of obtaining an emulsion including a copolymer that has a glass transition temperature in the range of −50° C. to 20° C. by emulsion polymerization of a monomer group including a monomer A expressed by the following formula 1 as the main monomer and a monomer B having a nonionic hydrophilic group and a carbon-carbon double bond;
• step b) of preparing, from a raw material including the emulsion and a liquid crystal material, a liquid crystal-resin composite material including the copolymer and liquid crystal microparticles dispersed therein;
• step c) of forming, on the conductive film of a conductive film-coated substrate, a liquid crystal-resin composite comprising a resin matrix and liquid crystal microparticles being dispersed in the resin matrix by applying the liquid crystal-resin composite material onto the conductive film;
• and
• step d) of bonding another conductive film-coated substrate to the liquid crystal-resin composite so that the liquid crystal-resin composite is sandwiched between the two conductive film-coated substrates, and the conductive films each are in contact with the liquid crystal-resin composite, wherein
• the formula 1 is expressed as:
• where R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R2 is an open chain alkyl group having a straight or branched chain with 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a cyclic alkyl group with 5 to 20 carbon atoms.