Sulfur vulcanization sulfur is not miscible in the polymer prior to vulcanization and attention is paid to prevent sulfur bloom, where it migrates to the surface of the article. Accelerators act much like catalysts allowing vulcanisation to be performed cooler yet faster and with a more efficient use of sulfur. They achieve this by reacting with and breaking the sulfur ring to form a reactive intermediate, referred to as a sulfurating agent. This in turn reacts with cure sites in the rubber to bring about vulcanization. There are two major classes of vulcanization accelerators: primary accelerators and secondary accelerators (also known as
Polymer Corporation Polymer Corporation Polymer Corporation was a Canadian federal crown corporation established in 1942 to produce artificial rubber to substitute for overseas supply cut off by World War II. After the Japanese captured the Dutch East Indies in 1942, most of the world's supply of natural rubber was out of Allied hands. Due to the importance of rubber products for both modern life and modern warfare, the loss of such an important resource at this phase in the war was a crisis. A factory was established in Sarnia, Ontario, using German patents from an American licensee. Polymer produced approximately 3,300 tons