Polymer networks are prepared by heat-curing of prepolymers containing cyclic ammonium cations with carboxylate-containing reagents as counter anion. A first part describes the cross-linking of copolymers of N-cyclohexyl-3-azetidinyl methacrylate (CHAM) and methyl methacrylate with hydrogen chloride or mono- or poly-carboxylic acids. Curing temperatures were between 90 and 140 degrees C and curing times between 3 and 20 min, depending on the CHAM-content and the type of acid used. In a second part, pyrrolidinium ion containing (co)polymers were reacted with carboxylate ion containing (co)polymers to form the corresponding inter polymer complexes (IPCs) which were subsequently heat-cured. The first was an IPC obtained by mixing the water-soluble (co)polymer of N,N-diallylpyrrolidinium chloride (DAPC) with sodium acrylate (co)polymer. Heating of the dry IPC film or powder resulted in ring-opening of the pyrrolidinium ions by the carboxylate ions leading to covalent networks. A second type of IPC was obtained by mixing copolymers of N-(vinyl benzyl)pyrrolidine (VBP) with acrylic acid copolymers. The thus obtained IPCs are transformed into covalent polymer networks by curing at 130 degrees C. Also IPCs with different structural units (for ex. VBP-Styrene copolymer with acrylic acid-butyl acrylate copolymer) could be formed and cured leading to polymer-co-networks. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.