The swelling behavior of an ethyl-cyanoethyl cellulose/crosslinked poly(acrylic acid) cholesteric network in different swelling solutions was studied. The swelling behavior of the cholesteric network was reversible in acid or neutral solutions and was irreversible in basic solutions. The cholesteric network retained the cholesteric structure during the swelling process in NaCl aqueous solutions, and the swelling behavior was incompletely reversible. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.