This volume of Macromolecular Symposia contains papers presented at the 16th Polymer Networks Group Meeting held in Autrans, France in September 2002.

The conference spotlighted recent experimental and theoretical developments in the field of Functional Networks and Gels, among which figure self-assembling systems, smart composite gels, photo-mechanical elastomers, electrically conducting rubbers, reinforcement and hyperelasticity effects in filled elastomers, ion-induced volume transitions and the behaviour of gels at interfaces.

Numerous other topics of current interest, including modeling approaches, addressed the question of formation and structure-property relationships of networks and gels.

Contents

1. Atypical Polysaccharide Physical Gels: Structure/Property Relationships
2. Encapsulation of Magnetic Self-assembled Systems in Thermoreversible Gels
3. Calcium Induced Volume Transition in Polyelectrolyte Gels
4. Hyperelasticity and Stress Softening of Filler Reinforced Polymer Networks
5. Reinforced Superabsorbent Polyacrylamide Hydrogels
6. Outstanding Covalent Conjugated Gels: Electrically Conducting Rubbers
7. Polymers Gels and Brushes at Surfaces
8. Thermal and Photo-actuation in Nematic Elastomers
9. Smart Nanocomposite Polymer Gels
10. Study of the Interaction Polymer/Organic Solvents/Salt in Microporous PVdF Separator for Lithium Batteries
11. Modelling Auto-Acceleration in DGEBA/Diamine Systems
12. Microscopic Deformation of Filler Particles in Rubber Under Uniaxial Deformation
13. Arabinoxylan Networks as Affected by Ovalbumin Content
14. Rheological Investigation of Swollen Gluten Polymer Networks: Effects of Process Parameters on Cross-link Density
15. Swelling, Elasticity and Structure of Hydrogels Prepared via bis-Macromonomers of Poly(ethylene oxide)
16. Filler Networks in Elastomers
17. Percolation Model of Hyperbranched Polymerization
18. Interaction of Non-ionic Hydrogels with Weak Aromatic Acids
19. H-Bond in Chitosan-based Hydrogels
20. Evaluation of the Degree of Cross-Linking of Cellulose-Based Superabsorbent Hydrogels: A Comparison between Different Techniques
21. Controlled-Release of Drugs from Cross-linked Polymers Containing Cubane as a Crosslinking Agent
22. Thermodynamics of Water Sorption in Acrylic Homonetworks and IPNs
23. Ion Condensation in a Polyelectrolyte Gel
24. Compression Elastic Modulus of Neutral and Protonated Poly(N-vinylimidazole) Hydrogel
25. A Monte Carlo Simulation of a Knotted Linear Chain System as an Elementary Network Fragment
26. Properties of Simple Models of Polymer Networks. A Monte Carlo Simulation
27. Predicting the Modulus of End-linked Networks from Formation Conditions
28. Viscoelastic Properties of Polyacrylonitrile Gels: Dependence of Sol-Gel Transition on Concentration and Aging Time
29. Deterministic Solutions for a Step-growth Polymerization
30. Water Sorption Properties of Poly(Ethyl Acrylate-co-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate) Macroporous Hydrogels
31. Properties of Epoxy Systems with Clay Nanoparticles

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