Protective layers produced by sol gel processes

1. A color conversion film for a LCD (liquid crystal display) having RGB (red, green, blue) color filters, the color conversion film configured to absorb illumination from a backlight source of the LCD and having at least one of a R emission peak and a G emission peak, wherein the color conversion film further comprises a protective coating prepared by a sol gel process;

wherein the color conversion film further comprises at least one rhodamine-based fluorescent (RBF) compound selected to absorb illumination from the backlight source of the LCD and have the at least one of a R emission peak and a G emission peak; and

wherein the at least one RBF compound is defined by at least one of Formula 1 and Formula 4:

wherein

R 1 is COOR, NO 2 , COR, COSR, CO(N-heterocycle), CON(R) 2 , or CN;

R 2 each is independently selected from H, halide, N(R) 2 , COR, CN, CON(R) 2 , CO(N-heterocycle), NCO, NCS, OR, SR, SO 3 H, SO 3 M and COOR;

R 3 each is independently selected from H, halide, N(R) 2 , COR, CN, CON(R) 2 , CO(N-heterocycle), NCO, NCS, OR, SR, SO 3 H, SO 3 M and COOR;

R 4 -R 16 and R 4′ -R 16′ are each independently selected from H, CF3, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, benzyl, halide, NO 2 , OR, N(R) 2 , COR, CN, CON(R) 2 , CO(N-Heterocycle) and COOR;

R is H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, benzyl, —(CH 2 CH 2 O) r CH 2 CH 2 OH, —(CH 2 ) p OC(O)NH(CH 2 ) q Si(Oalkyl) 3 , —(CH 2 ) p OC(O)CH═CH 2 or —(CH 2 ) p Si(Oalkyl) 3 ;

n and m are each independently an integer between 1-4;

p and q are each independently an integer between 1-6;

r is an integer between 0-10;

M is a monovalent cation; and

X is an anion; and

wherein:

R 1 each is independently H, Q 1 , OQ 1 , CF 3 , C(O)OQ 1 , C(O)NQ 1 Q 2 , NHC(O)Q 1 , C(O)Q 1 , NQ 1 Q 2 , NO 2 , CN, SQ 1 , —NQ 1 Q 2 CONQ 3 Q 4 , NCO, NCS, —OC(O)OQ 1 , SO 3 —, SO 3 Q 1 , or halide;

n is an integer between 1-5;

R 3 , R 3′ , R 6 and R 6′ are each independently selected from H, CF 3 , alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and benzyl;

R 2 , R 2′ , R 4 , R 4′ , R 5 and R 5′ are each independently selected from H, Q 1 , OQ 1 , CF 3 , NQ 1 Q 2 , NO 2 , CN, SO 3 − , SO 3 Q 1 and halide;

Q 1 and Q 2 are each independently selected from H, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl, azide, haloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, benzyl, —(CH 2 ) p OC(O)NH(CH 2 ) q Si(Oalkyl) 3 , —(CH 2 ) p OC(O)CH═CH 2 , —(CH 2 ) p Si(Oalkyl) 3 , —OC(O)N(H)Q 4 , —OC(S)N(H)Q 4 , —N(H)C(O)N(Q 3 ) 2 and —N(H)C(S)N(Q 3 ) 2 ;

Q 3 and Q 4 are each independently selected from H, alkyl, haloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl and benzyl;

X − is an anion.

2. The color conversion film of claim 1 , wherein the sol gel process is carried out with at least one of: ZPH, MMA, trimethoxysilane derivative, and an ESOR.

3. The color conversion film of claim 1 , wherein the color conversion film is produced by at least one of a sol gel process and a UV (ultraviolet) curing process.

4. An LCD comprising at least one color conversion film of claim 1 , wherein the LCD comprises a backlight unit comprising the backlight source and a LCD panel having the RGB color filters, wherein the at least one color conversion film is positioned in the LCD panel and is patterned with respect to a patterning of the RGB color filters to yield a spatial correspondence between film regions with R and G emission peaks and respective R and G color filter.

5. An LCD comprising at least one color conversion film of claim 1 , wherein the LCD comprises a backlight unit comprising the backlight source and a LCD panel having the RGB color filters, wherein an intensity of the R and G emission peaks of the at least one color conversion film are adjusted to fine tune a white point of the LCD to be at a center of an expected line of deterioration of the intensity within given LCD specifications.

6. An LCD comprising at least one color conversion film of claim 1 , wherein the LCD comprises a backlight unit comprising the backlight source and a LCD panel having the RGB color filters, wherein the RBF compounds in the film are at least partially self-assembled to at least partially provide polarized emission, and wherein the at least one color conversion film replaces at least one polarizer film in the LCD.