Vulcanified

Part of speech: verb, adjective

Definitions

1. Chemically treated rubber with sulfur under heat so that it became tougher and more elastic
2. Hardened raw rubber by heating it with sulfur, which made it durable and resistant to temperature changes
3. Processed natural rubber through heating with sulfur to strengthen it and improve its elasticity

Etymology: Vulcanized rubber was named after Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and forge, because the process relies on heat. In 1839 Charles Goodyear, an American inventor, accidentally dropped a mixture of raw rubber and sulphur onto a hot stove and found that heating it transformed the sticky, brittle material into something elastic and durable. He patented the process in 1844, and the name "vulcanize" followed, coined from the god's name with the verb ending "-ize" added, as with many technical verbs. The "-ed" ending makes "vulcanized" the past participle or adjective form, describing rubber or other materials that have undergone the same treatment. The spelling "vulcanified" is a rare variant, and dictionaries record "vulcanized" as the standard form, so the word here is best understood as a less common spelling of the same term.

Synonyms: cured, hardened