The market demand for liquid crystal alignment films is increasingly strong, and non-rubbing alignment technology is expected to become its mainstream preparation technology.

Liquid crystal alignment film, also known as liquid crystal display alignment film, refers to a polymer film that can cause directional movement of liquid crystal molecules. Liquid crystal alignment film is mainly used in liquid crystal displays to achieve orderly and uniform orientation of liquid crystal molecules, which plays a decisive role in the performance of liquid crystal displays. According to different structures, liquid crystal alignment films can be divided into nanostructured liquid crystal alignment films, liquid crystal vertical alignment films, etc.

The main raw material of the liquid crystal alignment film is polyimide (PI), which is a polymer containing imide rings in the main chain. Polyimide has the advantages of radiation resistance, good electrical insulation properties, good mechanical properties, good heat resistance, and chemical corrosion resistance. Its thin film products are widely used in electronic devices, flexible displays, aerospace, new energy and other fields. my country’s polyimide film industry started late and only achieved mass production in 2010. However, after years of experience accumulation, my country’s polyimide film self-sufficiency capacity has continued to improve, which will provide favorable conditions for the development of the liquid crystal alignment film industry.

Orientation technology is the core technology of liquid crystal alignment film, which can be divided into two types: rubbing orientation technology and non-rubbing orientation technology. Frictional alignment technology is a traditional preparation technology for liquid crystal alignment films. It can easily cause dust pollution and scratches on the film surface during the production process, and cannot meet the production needs of high-quality liquid crystal alignment films. Non-rubbing alignment technology is an emerging preparation technology for liquid crystal alignment films. Controlled orientation technology is its representative. This technology requires strict control of illumination and can effectively improve the UV resistance of the liquid crystal alignment film. It is expected to be widely used in the future.

In recent years, the global liquid crystal alignment film industry has accelerated its development. According to the “2023-2028 China Liquid Crystal Alignment Film Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report released by the Industrial Research Center, The global liquid crystal alignment film market will reach nearly US$6 billion in 2022, a year-on-year growth of 4.9%. Liquid crystal alignment film is an important component of liquid crystal displays and plays a decisive role in its display performance. In recent years, as the global display panel industry has gradually shifted to my country, the LCD market has continued to expand. In 2022, my country’s LCD market will reach nearly US$45 billion, accounting for nearly 30% of the global market. As the development of downstream industries accelerates, the market demand for liquid crystal alignment films in my country is increasingly strong.

Compared with Japan and other countries, my country’s liquid crystal alignment film industry started late. Due to factors such as high technical barriers, high-end demand mainly relies on imports. Japan Sharp Co., Ltd., Japan JSR Co., Ltd., and Japan JNC Corporation are the world’s major manufacturers of liquid crystal alignment films. Attracted by market prospects, the number of companies in my country’s liquid crystal alignment film industry continues to grow, including Deli, Macromolecule Technology, Bomi Technology, Dalton Electronics, etc. Industry analysts said that in the future, as the level of technological innovation of local enterprises continues to improve, the localization process of my country’s high-end liquid crystal alignment film market will be improved. accelerate.