What Does Vulcanized Mean?

Vulcanization is a range of processes for hardening rubbers. The term originally referred exclusively to the treatment of natural rubber with sulfur, which remains the most common practice. It has also grown to include the hardening of other rubbers via various means.

What is meant by something that is vulcanized?

: the process of treating crude or synthetic rubber or similar plastic material chemically to give it useful properties (such as elasticity, strength, and stability)

What does it mean to vulcanize a tire?

Vulcanization 101

The most common vulcanizing method is to treat natural rubber with sulfur, which causes a chemical reaction that softens the touching materials (such as a patch and a tire) and binds them together, increasing the rubber's rigidity and durability.