Several new terthiophene-based, highly anisotropic chromophores were synthesized anddispersed in ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The chromophores were axially orientedby drawing the polymer matrix and showed an extremely pronounced dichroic behavior. In a pseudo-affine deformation scheme the dyes did well approximate the ultimate properties in terms of molecularorientation; on the other hand, the observed thermochromism and other experimental evidence indicatedthe persistence of a phase segregation from the polymer matrix.
