Will C-Ports Melt? Or Alternatively, What is Vulcanized Rubber?

C-Ports are made of 100% recycled rubber from tires. And all modern tires are made from vulcanized rubber (note: this does not mean it comes from the planet Vulcan, Spock’s home). Therefore, no C-Ports will not melt because vulcanized rubber does not melt.

Back in the 1800s, rubber products were prone to melting in the hot weather. Why did this happen? The rubber back then did not undergo the same process as it does today to chemically change the properties that makes it heat-resistant.

Charles Goodyear saw an opportunity to improve upon this rubber material. After 5 years of experimenting, short periods of jail time and a very fortunate accident (he lost his grip on his altered rubber and landed on a stove where it did not melt – but instead charred), Goodyear had invented the process of vulcanization.

Note: the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. was named after Charles Goodyear. The family had nothing to do with the creation of the company. Also, the story of Charles’ discovery of vulcanized rubber is fascinating. Read about it here on the Goodyear website.

So what is vulcanized rubber?

Once rubber has undergone the vulcanization process, it is chemically changed and does not melt like un-vulcanized natural or synthetic rubber. By adding components to natural or synthetic rubber like sulfur, anti-oxidants, softeners and colour pigments and processing the mixture under high pressure and high temperatures (200-400 F), the rubber mixture comes out stronger than the natural substance. In addition to being heat resistant, vulcanized rubber has a higher tensile strength, is abrasion resistant and has a higher resistance to solvents.

Because of this process, rubber tires don’t just melt on the roads in hot weather and they can handle being driven on for extended periods of time without wearing down as quickly as it would have without being vulcanized.

What does this mean for C-Ports?

C-Ports are made of recycled tires – meaning the tires have been crumbed to small pieces that we mix with an adhesive and mold into the durable rooftop pipe supports you know & love. The rubber maintains the same properties from the vulcanization process and therefore won’t melt even if they’re sitting on a roof for years and years.