Abstract
It is shown that three basic models of the Flory-Stockmayer theory of polymerization may all be described directly by means of a kinetic rate equation of a form first discussed by Smoluchowski, and correspond to the three known classes of solutions to this equation. The kinetics of gelation are discussed from the rate equation; the nature of both the Flory and the Stockmayer gelation theories is shown, and a new model of gelation is proposed. Some new solutions to Smoluchowski's equation are given in an appendix.
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Supported by the U.S. DOE, the National Science Foundation, and the Petroleum Research Fund.
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Ziff, R.M. Kinetics of polymerization. J Stat Phys 23, 241–263 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01012594
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01012594