Liquid crystal element and method of producing the same

1. A liquid crystal element, comprising:

a pair of substrates disposed to face each other;

a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pair of substrates; and

a liquid crystal alignment layer provided on each of the liquid crystal layer sides of the pair of substrates,

wherein the liquid crystal layer includes a compound having an alkenyl structure and a compound having a terphenyl ring structure,

wherein the compound having an alkenyl structure has a partial structure represented by the following Formula (1):

*- A 1 -( X 1 ) n   (1)

where in Formula (1), A 1 is an (n+1)-valent alicyclic group, X 1 is a group having an alkenyl structure, n is an integer of 1 to 3; and (*) represents a bonding position,

wherein the compound having a terphenyl ring structure is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Formulas (2-1), (2-3) and (2-6) to (2-10):

where in Formulas (2-7) to (2-10), r is an integer of 1 or 2,

wherein when the compound having a terphenyl ring structure does not include at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Formulas (2-7) to (2-10), the liquid crystal layer further includes a component having a radical polymerizable group that is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Formulas (2-7) to (2-10), and Formulas (B1-1) to (B1-3):

where in Formulas (2-7) to (2-10), r is an integer of 1 or 2, and in Formulas (B1-1) to (B1-3), R represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,

wherein the liquid crystal alignment layer is a layer comprising a liquid crystal alignment agent containing a polymer (P),

wherein the polymer (P) is at least one selected from the group consisting of a polyamic acid, a polyamic acid ester and a polyimide, and the polymer (P) has at least one partial structure selected from the group consisting of a partial structure represented by the following Formula (p-1) and a partial structure represented by the following Formula (p-2):

where in Formulas (p-1) and (p-2), R 51 is a tetravalent organic group, R 52 and R 53 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group, and R 54 is a divalent organic group, wherein at least one of R 51 to R 54 has at least one group selected from the group consisting of a radical polymerizable group, a photoinitiator group, a nitrogen-containing heterocycle, an amino group and a protected amino group.

2. The liquid crystal element according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer (P) is a reaction product of at least one tetracarboxylic acid derivative selected from the group consisting of a tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride, a tetracarboxylic acid diester and a tetracarboxylic acid diester dihalide and a diamine, and

the tetracarboxylic acid derivative has at least one ring structure selected from the group consisting of a cyclobutane ring, a cyclopentane ring and a cyclohexane ring.

3. The liquid crystal element according to claim 1 , wherein a black column spacer is provided between the pair of substrates.

4. A method of producing a liquid crystal element, comprising:

applying a liquid crystal alignment agent on a conductive film of a pair of substrates having the conductive film to form a coating film;

forming a liquid crystal cell by arranging the pair of substrates on which the coating film is formed to face each other such that the coating films face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween; and

irradiating the liquid crystal cell with light in a state where a voltage is applied between the conductive films,

wherein the liquid crystal layer includes a compound having an alkenyl structure and a compound having a terphenyl ring structure,

wherein the compound having an alkenyl structure has a partial structure represented by the following Formula (1):

*- A 1 -( X 1 ) n   (1)

where in Formula (1), A 1 is an (n+1)-valent alicyclic group, X 1 is a group having an alkenyl structure, n is an integer of 1 to 3; and (*) represents a bonding position,

wherein the compound having a terphenyl ring structure is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Formulas (2-1), (2-3) and (2-6) to (2-10):

where in Formulas (2-7) to (2-10), r is an integer of 1 or 2,

wherein when the compound having a terphenyl ring structure does not include at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Formulas (2-7) to (2-10), the liquid crystal layer further includes a component having a radical polymerizable group that is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Formulas (2-7) to (2-10), and Formulas (B1-1) to (B1-3):

where in Formulas (2-7) to (2-10), r is an integer of 1 or 2, and in Formulas (B1-1) to (B1-3), R represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,

wherein the liquid crystal alignment agent contains a polymer (P),

wherein the polymer (P) is at least one selected from the group consisting of a polyamic acid, a polyamic acid ester and a polyimide, and the polymer (P) has at least one partial structure selected from the group consisting of a partial structure represented by the following Formula (p-1) and a partial structure represented by the following Formula (p-2):

where in Formulas (p-1) and (p-2), R 51 is a tetravalent organic group, R 52 and R 53 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group, and R 54 is a divalent organic group, wherein at least one of R 51 to R 54 has at least one group selected from the group consisting of a radical polymerizable group, a photoinitiator group, a nitrogen-containing heterocycle, an amino group and a protected amino group.