Sulfur vulcanization Sulfur vulcanization Sulfur vulcanization or sulfur vulcanisation is a chemical process for converting natural rubber or related polymers into more durable materials by heating them with sulfur or other equivalent curatives or accelerators. Sulfur forms cross-links (bridges) between sections of polymer chain which results in increased rigidity and durability, as well as other changes in the mechanical and electronic properties of the material. A vast array of products are made with vulcanized rubber, including tires, shoe soles, hoses, and conveyor belts. The term is derived from Vulcan, the Roman god of fire. The main polymers subjected to sulfur vulcanization are
Sulfur 14th century the Latin ' was restored, for '; and by the 15th century the full Latin spelling was restored, for "sulfur, sulphur". The parallel "f~ph" spellings continued in Britain until the 19th century, when the word was standardized as "sulphur". "Sulfur" was the form chosen in the United States, whereas Canada uses both. The IUPAC adopted the spelling "sulfur" in 1990, as did the Nomenclature Committee of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 1992, restoring the spelling "sulfur" to Britain. Oxford Dictionaries note that "in chemistry and other technical uses ... the "-f-" spelling is now the standard form