Charles Goodyear

American inventor of vulcanized rubber. Born into a family of hardware merchants. In 1830, his partnership with his father went bankrupt, and he worked his whole life to pay off the debts, but from 1834 he became absorbed in inventing a method to modify rubber. The rubber used at the time was raw rubber, which melted and stuck to itself in the summer, making it extremely difficult to use. He continued to experiment intermittently with financial support from friends and relatives, and in 1838 learned of Nathaniel M. Hayward's (1808-1865) method of mixing sulfur. In the following year, 1839, Goodyear accidentally dropped some rubber mixed with sulfur on a stove, but the rubber did not melt even when heated. Inspired by this, he reexamined the effects of sulfur and heat on raw rubber until he was able to obtain rubber of consistent quality, and obtained a patent. This established the rubber industry, but Goodyear himself was forced to give out patent licenses at low prices due to his debts, and he remained poor throughout his life.

[Kato Kunioki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

加硫ゴムを発明したアメリカ人。金物商の家に生まれる。1830年、父との共同経営が破産、生涯を借金返済のために働くが、1834年からゴムの改質法の発明に熱中した。当時使用されていたゴムは生ゴムで、夏期には溶解したり相互に粘着したりしてきわめて使いにくいものであった。友人や親類の資金援助で断続的に実験を続け、1838年に硫黄(いおう)を混入するヘイワードNathaniel M. Hayward（1808―1865）の方法を知る。グッドイヤーは翌1839年に誤って硫黄を混入したゴムをストーブの上に落としたが、熱せられてもこのゴムは溶けなかった。これに着想を得て、生ゴムへの硫黄と熱の作用を安定した品質のゴムが得られるまで調べ直し、特許を取得した。これによってゴム工業は確立したが、グッドイヤー自身はそれまでの借金のために特許実施権を安く与えざるをえず、生涯にわたって貧窮のうちにあった。

［加藤邦興］

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