Correlation between main chain chirality and crystal "twist" direction in polymer spherulites

With the recent availability of chiral main chain polymers in the form of both of its enantiomers, it is demonstrated that the molecular chirality determines the sense of the crystal rotation underlying the banded structure of spherulites - an issue of a century standing. In addition, an attempt is made to provide an historical perspective, and the role of asymmetries on all dimensional levels of the structure hierarchy is discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.