In polymer chemistry, the gel point is an abrupt change in the viscosity of a solution containing polymerizable components.
At the gel point, a solution undergoes gelation, as reflected in a loss in fluidity.
The gel is often a small percentage of the mixture, even though it greatly influences the properties of the bulk.
, defined as the fraction of monomers that appear in cross-links, the gel point can be determined.
The critical extent of reaction for gelation can be determined as a function of the properties of the monomer mixture,