Charles Goodyear

Goodyear, Charles (1800–60), U.S. inventor (in 1839) of vulcanized rubber (patented 1844). In his search to find a way to keep rubber from melting and sticking in hot weather, he bought the patents of N.M. Hayward, who had had some success treating rubber with sulfur. Vulcanization gives rubber its elasticity and strength.

See also: Rubber.