vulcanize
verb
Did you know?
Vulcanize might sound like something Spock from Star Trek might do, but the explanation behind this word has more to do with ancient mythology than it does with science fiction. Vulcanization in its simplest form consists of heating rubber with sulfur in order to improve the rubber's qualities. The Roman god Vulcan (whose Greek counterpart is Hephaestus) was the god of fire and of skills that used fire, such as metalworking. So when Charles Goodyear discovered that high heat would result in stronger rubber, he called the process "vulcanization" after the god of fire. Goodyear developed the idea in 1839 and acquired a patent for it in 1844.
Examples of vulcanize in a Sentence
Christy Choi, CNN, 31 Jan. 2024
Fun fact: basketball was invented in Springfield, Mass., as was vulcanized rubber.
—Andrea Cohen, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2023
It’s made with an innovative polymer called Thermoplastic Vulcanizate, or TPV, which blends materials that are set at high temperatures, otherwise known as vulcanizing.
—Kate Morgan, Popular Mechanics, 14 Apr. 2023
The next step is to nuke the pothole again, heating the mix to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit to vulcanize the asphalt and create a tight bond.
—Jason Daley, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2011
Lawlis is strikingly confident about the BAUD, comparing his breakthroughs to Charles Goodyear's discovery of vulcanized rubber.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2020
The look’s latest champion, Demna Gvasalia of Balenciaga, introduced a phalanx of these human anomalies in his spring 2020 show, all chalky complexions and vulcanized lips and with prosthetics augmenting their otherwise sunken cheeks.
—New York Times, 29 Oct. 2019
Each pair is handcrafted out of natural rubber and vulcanized to ensure your feet stay dry.
—Kelsey Mulvey, Marie Claire, 18 Sep. 2019
Made with waterproof vulcanized rubber, this boot is doubled up on areas that often blow out in other boots.
—James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, 29 Mar. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Vulcanize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vulcanize. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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vulcanize
verb
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