This book contains the plenary lectures from international experts, which were presented during the International Conference Polymer Networks, held in Moscow, April 1991. The book covers different areas of physics and chemistry of polymer networks, generated by the formation of chemical bonds.

K. Dusek, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic. S.I. Kuchanov, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.

Formation processes, structure and properties of polymer networks; Comparative analysis of the processes of polymer networks formation via polycondensation and polymerization; Network formation via end-linking processes; Comprehensive approach to the theory of polymer networks. I. Molecular theory of gelation; The role of entanglements for the mechanical behaviour of polymer networks; Structure and swelling properties of polymer networks synthesized in solution; Thermoelasticity and strain-induced volume-effects in permanent networks; Neutron scattering investigation of the deformation at molecular scales in polymer networks; Orientation-stress relation of polymer fluids, networks and liquid crystals, subjected to uniaxial deformation; Dynamic shear compliance of IR-networks in dependence on crosslink density and filler content; Anomalous properties of hypercrosslinked polystyrene networks; Physical networks of biopolymers