Blends of Functionalized Terthiophenes with Polyethylene as Materials for New Linear Polarizers

The dispersibility of terthiophene alkyl derivatives in polyethylene films was comparatively investigated by calorimetry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and microscopy. Polyethylene affinity of the terthiophenes increases with increasing linear alkyl chain length, but the increased tendency to separate crystallization gives rise to distinct phases and dishomogeneity. Drawing of the pm at higher temperature than chromophore and poly(ethylene)(PE) melting points (141 degreesC) improves dispersibility with parallel orientation of chromophore molecules and PE macromolecules. These phenomena are important in determining the high dichroism of new polymeric host-guest polarizers based on blends of ultra-high-molecular-weight poly(ethylene) (UHMWPE) with linear anisotropic molecules based on terthiophene nuclei functionalized with push-pull and alkyl groups. The PE affinity of the chromophores favored by their alkyl chains is one of the key factors in allowing their dispersion in the oriented poly(ethylene) films which show good performances as linear optical polarizers