Transparent functional membrane containing functional ultrafine particles, transparent functional film, and process for producing the same

An antireflection film, comprising

• a transparent plastic substrate;
• and
• a hard coat layer formed on said transparent plastic substrate, said hard coat layer comprising a resin and having a hardness of not less than H as measured by a pencil hardness test specified in JIS-K-5400 and including functional ultrafine particles localized toward a surface of said hard coat layer which is exposed to an external atmosphere, said ultrafine particles having a size of not more than 200 nm and a first refractive index,
• wherein said hard coat layer has a second refractive index higher than said first refractive index of said ultrafine particles and wherein said hard coat layer has substantially no interface therein.

An antireflection film, comprising:

• a transparent plastic substrate;
• and
• a hard coat layer formed on said transparent plastic substrate, said hard coat layer comprising a resin and having a hardness of not less than H as measured by a pencil hardness test specified in JIS-K-5400 and including functional ultrafine particles localized toward a surface of said hard coat layer which is exposed to an external atmosphere, said ultrafine particles having a size of not more than 200 nm and a first refractive index, and wherein at least a portion of said ultrafine particles are exposed to said external atmosphere,
• wherein said hard coat layer has a second refractive index higher than said first refractive index of said ultrafine particles and wherein said hard coat layer has substantially no interface therein.

An antireflection film, comprising:

• a transparent plastic substrate film;
• a transparent functional membrane formed on one surface of said transparent plastic substrate film and comprising (i) a hard coat layer comprising a resin, said hard coat layer having a hardness of not less than H as measured by a pencil hardness test specified in JIS-K-5400, and (ii) functional ultrafine particles having a size of not more than 200 nm, said ultrafine particles being dispersed in said hard coat layer such that said ultrafine particles are localized toward a surface of said hard coat layer, said ultrafine particles having a higher refractive index than that of said hard coat layer;
• and
• a refractive index layer formed on said surface of said transparent functional membrane,
• wherein said hard coat layer of said transparent functional membrane has a higher refractive index than that of said transparent plastic substrate and that of said refractive index layer, and wherein said hard coat layer has substantially no interface therein.