The problems related to crazing in polymers are of special interest to polymer scientists since only polymers display this universal phenomenon and no analogues are available for low-molecular-mass compounds. The important problems of solvent crazing and the development of a universal description of polymer structure and properties have received much attention from many leading scientists. Nevertheless, some aspects of polymer crazing are still unclear, and scientific activities in this area are in progress.

This work provides an up-to-date account of scientific advances in the area of solvent crazing. The principal features and stages of solvent crazing (craze nucleation, craze tip advance, craze thickening, and craze collapse at high strains) are described. Additionally, the authors present information concerning the activities of Russian scientists in this area, which might have escaped the attention of their colleagues because of the language barrier.