Charles Goodyear and Rubber

Natural rubber comes from the milky sap of the rubber tree, which originally grew in South America. People there had used it for centuries to make balls and waterproof items. In the early nineteenth century, rubber became popular in Europe and the United States, especially for raincoats and boots. However, natural rubber had serious problems. In hot weather it became soft and sticky, and in cold weather it turned hard and cracked.

An American inventor named Charles Goodyear spent years trying to solve these problems, often while deeply in debt. According to the most common account, the breakthrough came by accident in 1839. While experimenting with a mixture of rubber and sulfur, Goodyear dropped some of it onto a hot stove. Instead of melting, the rubber became firmer but stayed flexible. He realized that heating rubber with sulfur made it stable in both heat and cold.

This improved rubber was strong, elastic, and durable, and it soon had countless uses, from shoes to machine parts. Later, it became essential for the tires of bicycles and cars. Goodyear himself, however, earned little from his discovery. He spent large sums defending his patents in court and died in debt in 1860. The famous tire company that carries his name was founded decades later and had no connection to his family.