When a strip of wood, cardboard or waxed paper tipped with a chemical mixture is rubbed against a rough surface, the chemicals burst into a flame and produce fire. The first match was made in 1827 by an English pharmacist John Walker. It was a splint of wood tipped with antimony sulphide, potassium chlorate, gum arabic and starch. The match bursts into flames with a series of small explosions that showered the experimenter with sparks. The first safety match was invented in 1844 by a Swedish chemist Gustave E. Pasch. Let us discuss how matches are made?
Red phosphorous is the main substance used in the match industry. Matches are mainly of two types: Lucifer or friction matches and Safety matches.
Lucifer or friction matches light when rubbed against any rough surface. The match is basically a wood splint or shaft about 8 cm long and 0.3 cm in diameter. It may have a tip of two colours, red and white or blue and white. One-fourth of the wooden strip is first dipped in molten sulphur or paraffin wax. The small white tip is made from the paste of phosphorous trisulphide. Other substances are antimony trisulphide (kindling material), potassium chlorate (supporter of combustion), powder of glass or silica (friction producing substance) and gum or glue (to act as a binder). Red or blue part of the tip does not ignite by rubbing, but burns when the white tip has caught fire. It carries the flame to the rest of the match stick. These matches are made by machines which produce millions of matches per hour.
Nowadays only safety matches are used. Safety matches can only be ignited by striking them against a special surface. The surface is usually located on the sides of the match box. The tip of the safety match is made from the substances mentioned above except phosphorous trisulphide. Red phosphorous is used as the igniter in place of phosphorous trisulphide. When the head of the match stick moves over the rough surface, the molecules in the head and the surface collide with each other and the head of the match becomes hotter. The substances in the head become hot enough and make the head burst into a flame. These matches generally do not light when struck on any other surface. The chances of such a match stick catching fire accidentally are thus eliminated.