Chirality of large random supramolecular structures

The structural chirality of large, random supramolecular structures, spiral diffusion-limited aggregates, is analyzed and studied in detail by using a continuous chirality measure. It is found that classical definitions and terminologies of chirality are too restrictive for the description of such complex objects. A refined methodology and a conceptual vocabulary are developed, along with a generalized definition of chirality. Their application is demonstrated in detail on these large structures. The classical definition of chirality, tailored for small, nonrandom species, is a limiting case of the generalized viewpoint we propose.