DOES QUANTUM MAGIC IMPINGE ON POLYMER PHYSICS

Penrose states that quantum effects can occur even in relatively large systems when energy differences remain small. This is just the situat ion with polymer materials. A quantum description by Penrose of the fo rmation of quasi-crystals can be rewritten to apply to polymer crystal lization. The implications of the need to take account of quantum effe cts are discussed. Another approach based on the quantization of energ y levels in clusters of atoms offers a possible explanation of heat se tting in nylon and polyester fibers. Finally some problems of the inte rpretation of quantum theory are discussed.