Journal of Statistical Physics, Vol. 23, No. 2, 1980. p. 241-263.
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.