On the stochastic theory of polymerization reactions

We present a stochastic study of a polymerization reaction model. Using the WKB approximation and the method of factorial cumulants it is shown that the relaxation time of the second factorial cumulant is half the macroscopic relaxation time. Furthermore the system exhibits a globally non-Poissonian and locally Poissonian behavior in agreement with other results. The application of the model is illustrated for the particular case of dimer and trimer formation.