Frontal polymerization is a process in which a spatially localized reaction
zone propagates into a monomer, converting it into a polymer. This new app
roach to polymer production requires both theoretical and experimental stud
y. Agreement between the existing theoretical and experimental work done on
this subject has generally been fairly good. However, experimental results
tend to show a higher degree of conversion than theoretical results. The r
eason for this discrepancy may be attributed to an autoacceleration of the
polymerization rate which occurs when conversion has reached a certain poin
t. This autoacceleration is due to a decrease in the termination rate cause
d by a phenomenon known as the gel effect. In this paper, we develop a math
ematical model of the frontal polymerization process, taking the gel effect
into consideration. Specifically, we determine how it will affect the degr
ee of conversion, maximum temperature, and propagation velocity of the syst
em.