| Abstract: | The network parameters of swollen, solution-crosslinked polymer filaments can be collected from deswelling measurements in solutions of nonpermeating polymer or, as shown in this paper, from the stress–strain relation when in equilibrium with the surrounding solvent. The degree of swelling, at which the partial molar free energy of elasticity equals zero, is found to vary with solvent power in agreement with earlier findings on other systems. Comparison with results of studies on rubber networks crosslinked in the absence of diluent show that previously observed discrepancies between theory and experiment can be attributed to the deficiency of the single term involving the one-third power of the volume fraction of polymer in the swollen network to describe the contribution of the partial elastic free energy. |
