Optical film and process for producing the same

Abstract

An optical film composed of a thermoplastic resin film obtained by using a melt extruding machine, characterized in that said thermoplastic resin film satisfies a relation of the formula below over the whole surface of the film when an angle made by the extruding direction of the thermoplastic resin film from the melt extruding machine and a slow phase axis at each point is α, and a retardation amount at each point is Re, is provided. [sin 2 2α]×[sin 2 (π·Re/550)]≦4.0×10 −5 . According to the present invention, an optical film wherein there is no problem on a residual solvent, optical distortion is small, and there is no problem of color unevenness and color absence of a liquid crystal display obtained by using the optical film as a protective film of a polarizer is provided.

1 . An optical film composed of a thermoplastic resin film obtained by using a melt extruding machine, characterized in that 
 said thermoplastic resin film satisfies a relation of the formula below over the whole surface of the film when an angle made by the extruding direction of the thermoplastic resin film from the melt extruding machine and a slow phase axis at each point is α, and a retardation amount at each point is Re.      [sin 2  2α]×[sin 2 (π· Re/ 550)]≦4.0×10 −5      
   
   
       2 . The optical film as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a value of said Re is 10 nm or less.  
   
   
       3 . The optical film as set forth in  claim 1  or  2 , wherein said thermoplastic resin is an alicyclic structure containing polymer.  
   
   
       4 . A production method of an optical film composed of a thermoplastic resin film, including a step of cooling a molten thermoplastic resin extruded from an extruding machine by making it successively circumscribed with a first cooling drum, a second cooling drum and a third cooling drum: 
 wherein, when assuming that rotation speed of said third cooling drum is R 3  (m/min.), and rotation speed of said second cooling drum is R 2  (m/min.), a ratio of the R 3  and R 2  (R 3 /R 2 ) is made to be 0.990 or more but less than 0.999 to cool said thermoplastic resin.    
   
   
       5 . The production method of an optical film as set forth in  claim 4 , 
 wherein, when assuming a resin contact time in said first cooling drum is t 1  (sec.), a temperature when said thermoplastic resin moves away from said first cooling drum is Tp 1  (° C.), and a glass transition temperature of said thermoplastic resin is Tg (° C.), t 1 ×(Tp 1 −Tg) (unit: sec.·deg) is made to be −50 or higher and 20 or lower to cool said thermoplastic resin.    
   
   
       6 . The production method of an optical film as set forth in  claim 4 , 
 wherein, when assuming that rotation speed of said first cooling drum is R 1  (m/min.), a ratio of the R 2  and R 1  (R 2 /R 1  ) is made to be 0.990 or more but less than 1.01 to cool said thermoplastic resin.    
   
   
       7 . The production method of an optical film as set forth in  claim 4 , 
 wherein, when assuming that a temperature when said thermoplastic resin moves away from said third cooling drum is Tp 3  (° C.), the Tp 3  is made to be a lower temperature than said Tg by 50 to 100° C. to cool said thermoplastic resin.    
   
   
       8 . The production method of an optical film as set forth in  claim 4 , 
 wherein, when assuming that a temperature when said thermoplastic resin moves away from said second cooling drum is Tp 2  (° C.), the Tp 2  is made to be a lower temperature than said Tg by 0 to 60° C. to cool said thermoplastic resin.    
   
   
       9 . The production method of an optical film as set forth in  claim 4 , 
 wherein, a temperature difference of said first cooling drum and said second cooling drum is made to be 20° C. or less to cool said thermoplastic resin.    
   
   
       10 . A protective film of a polarizer composed of the optical film as set forth in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       11 . A polarizing film having a polarizer and a protective film as set froth in  claim 10  stacked on one surface or both surfaces of the polarizer via an adhesive layer.  
   
   
       12 . A phase difference film obtained by performing stretch processing on the optical film as set froth in  claim 1.