Abstract
In spite of the great technical importance of vulcanization, the chemical reaction involved is not yet entirely understood, although at the present time it is assumed that chemical phenomena take part in this operation. To C. O. Weber in particular is due much of the research in the field of rubber. It was he who proved the chemical combination with sulfur. He assumed that during hot vulcanization, sulfur combines with two polyprene chains and that they unite chemically, but he was not able to go into this subject in more detail or to prove anything further. The process of cold vulcanization is better understood. There are good reasons for assuming that sulfur chloride reacts with the double bond of polyprene chains in the same way that it does with olefins of low molecular weight, for example with ethylene. It is known that sulfur chloride unites with this latter according to the following scheme:
