Making rubber work - Part 1 of 2; The story of Charles Goodyear's life-long obsession.(special report)

From: Rubber & Plastics News | Date: March 20, 2006| Author: | Copyright information

Byline: Chuck Slaybaugh

Rubber has had no greater friend and benefactor than Charles Goodyear, who unlocked the secrets of vulcanization in 1839.

If it had not been for Goodyear's single-minded dedication to ridding raw rubber of its unfortunate tendency to become sticky and melt when heated and stiff when cold, the rubber industry in particular and the world in general would be a great deal different today.

If not for vulcanization, the industry might have given up on rubber as a major raw material and permanently consigned it to use as a semi-satisfactory substance ...

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