Abstract
In this paper a short critical review of both phenomenological and molecular aspects of swelling and mechanical behaviour of swollen polymer gels is given. A new principle, the topoanalogous transformation of polymeric networks, together with many experimental examples, is introduced and discussed in detail. With the aid of this principle some so far unsolved problems concerning applications of theory of rubber elasticity, the physical background behind equations and contributions of different kinds of junction zones to elasticity of swollen networks are analysed and solutions for related problems are suggested. Based on experimental data the thermodynamics of swelling of aqueous and non-aqueous polymer gels involving an effect of supermolecular or colloid structure on thermodynamic behaviour of these systems are also analysed and for homogeneous gels, a new equation is proposed for volume fraction dependence of the elastic part of solvent chemical potential. For description of inhomogeneous networks a simple, two-phase network model has been worked out and succesfully applied to swollen gels containing a high amount of inhomogeneities of colloid size.
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