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Nathaniel Hayward

Nathaniel Hayward, an American rubber experimenter from 1808 to 1865, is depicted wearing formal attire, showcasing his historical significance in the development of vulcanized rubber through the use of sulfur.

American rubber experimenter (1808-1865) who introduced sulfur to the process before Goodyear arrived. Hayward filed a patent in February 1839 for sun-drying rubber treated with sulfur and sold it to Goodyear that summer. His role in the discovery of vulcanization is routinely understated; without his sulfur the stove accident would have produced nothing but a charred mess.

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