Who Invented the Match?
A match uses chemicals and friction to create a controlled flame. The discovery of phosphorous, the chemical on a match head, in the 17th century helped lead to the creation of controlled flames. Since the 17th century, matches have evolved using different types of phosphorous and different sizes of sticks.
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Phosphorous
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The discovery of phosphorous helped lead to the invention of the match. Henning Brand discovered phosphorous in 1669. Brand made the first white phosphorous from his own urine.
First Match
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Robert Boyle created the first match-like reaction in 1680. Boyle coated a piece of paper with phosphorous and a piece of wood with sulfur. Boyle then rubbed the two together to create a flame.
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Dangerous Theory
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While Boyle created a flame, he did not take the invention a step further to create the match. In the 19th century, other experimenters began using Boyle's combination of sulfur and phosphorous while others used gaseous hydrogen to create a flame. Both methods were very dangerous.
The Match
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John Walker, a British chemist, created the first true match in 1827. Walker's matches were made with long sticks with the chemicals antimony sulfide, potassium chlorate, gum and starch on the end. A flame was then created with friction. Walker named his first friction matches "Congreves."
Selling the Match
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Walker sold his first match to a salesman in April 1827. Walker never patented his invention, allowing others to borrow his ideas throughout the 19th century. In 1855 Carl Lundstrom invented the red phosphorous "safety" match. The safety match was designed to only ignite when the match head is struck on the provided surface.
Book of Matches
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American Joshua Pusey created the first book of matches. Pusey's matches were smaller than others with sticks made of paper. Pusey eventually sold his idea to the Diamond Match Company.
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