Match Making Plant

Abstract

The development of matches was preceded by centuries .of exp~riment with many methods of fire makmg, but the production of fire by spontaneous chemical reaction was unknown until the 17th century. A variety of experiments continued until the friction match, introduced in the 19th century, provided a means of making fire that was poketable, reliable, safe and speedy. With early methods of fire production it was common to use specially made splinters tipped with some combustible substance, such as sulfur, to transfer the flame. An increased interest in chemistry let to experiments to produce fire by direct means on the splinter.