Anisotropic retardation layers for display devices

A composition comprising:

• ##STR7## wherein R.sup.1, which may be the same or different, is a hydrophilic group selected from the group consisting of carboxylic, sulfonic, sulfonamide and phosphate groups;
• R.sup.2, which may be the same or different, is selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups and hydrogen;
• R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of:
• (a) unsubstituted, positively charged heteroaromatic rings linked to the triazine backbone through a nitrogen atom in the R.sup.3 ring, with the proviso that R.sup.3 is not a pyridine ring, with X.sup.- as a counterion selected from the group consisting of Cl.sup.-, OH.sup.-, SO.sub.4 H.sup.-, CH.sub.3 COO.sup.-, and CF.sub.3 COO.sup.-, BF.sub.4.sup.31 , PF.sub.6.sup.-, SbF.sub.6.sup.-, CH.sub.3 SO.sub.3.sup.31 , CF.sub.3 SO.sub.3.sup.-, and PhCO.sub.2.sup.- ;
• (b) substituted, positively charged heteroaromatic rings linked to the triazine backbone through a nitrogen atom in the R.sup.3 ring, wherein the substituents for R3 are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxyl, amino, alkoxy, thio, cyano, amide and ester groups, with X.sup.- as a counterion selected from the group consisting of Cl.sup.-, OH.sup.-, SO.sub.4 H.sup.-, CH.sub.3 COO.sup.-, and CF.sub.3 COO.sup.-, BF.sub.4.sup.-, PF.sub.6.sup.-, SbF.sub.6.sup.-, CH.sub.3 SO.sub.3.sup.-, CF.sub.3 SO.sub.3.sup.-, and PhCO.sub.2.sup.- ;
• and
• (c) unsubstituted, positively charged pyridine rings linked to the triazine backbone through the nitrogen atom in the R.sup.3 ring, with X.sup.- as a counterion selected from the group consisting of SO.sub.4 H.sup.-, CH.sub.3 COO.sup.-, and CF.sub.3 COO.sup.-, BF.sub.4.sup.-, PF.sub.6.sup.-, SbF.sub.6.sup.-, CH.sub.3 SO.sub.3.sup.-, CF.sub.3 SO.sub.3.sup.-, and PhCO.sub.2.sup.-.