Sulfur vulcanization been uncertainly as to whether it proceeds in a radical or ionic manner. The reactive sites, often referred to as 'cure sites', are unsaturated groups such as alkenes and allyls. During vulcanization, sulfur bridges are formed between these sites, crosslinking the polymer. These bridges may consist one or several sulfur atoms. Both the extent of crosslinking and the number of sulfur atoms in the crosslinks strongly influences the physical properties of the rubber produced: Sulfur, by itself, is a slow vulcanizing agent and does not vulcanize synthetic polyolefins. Even with natural rubber, large amounts of sulfur as well as high
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