Different kinds of Matchsticks
There are numerous kinds of matchsticks available in the market. Foremost are the Friction matches, which were invented in the year 1827 by English chemist John Walker. The mixture of antimony sulfide, potassium chlorate, starch and gum was coated over the head of the matchstick. This kind of matchstick could be easily ignited by just striking on the hard surface.
Then the safety matches were invented, which are only ignited if stroked at specific places. They were invented in the year 1844 by Swede Gustaf Erik Pasch and almost a decade later was improved by John Edvard Lundstrom. These are regarded as safety matches only for the cause that the white phosphorous was replaced by the red phosphorous making it a little less combustible and more safe to handle.
Another of the kind is a noiseless matchstick, which was invented in the year 1836 by chemistry student Hungarian Janos Irinyi. He replaced potassium chlorate from he combustible mixture with lead dioxide and successfully formed matchsticks, which did not produce any sound while lighting and burnt evenly throughout the stick.

Origin and history of matchstick
The first matches were developed by the Egyptians in the year 3500 BC with a small stick of pinewood coated with combustible mixture of sulfur.
Then in the year 1350-1400, the term match referred to a cord or a wire that was coated with combustible chemicals. When it was brought in contact with a small amount of heat it could produce flame and be easily used to ignite other things. Previously it was used to set off the huge canons and guns. It was even used to light fires and crackers during households and celebrations.
By the year of 1805 K.Chancel, an assistant to a professor Louis Jacques Thenard, Paris invented the modern matchstick. In his invention, the head of the match was coated with potassium chlorate, sugar, sulfur and rubber. The same were ignited by means of chemical energy produced by dipping the head of the match in sulfuric acid. Cost wise these matches were a bit expensive and its usage was a bit hazardous so these kinds of matches never gained esteem and were never produced on large scale. Rather the one we use daily gained popularity and is still date used by all.

Advancement in Matchstick
Technology has gone in so details of even small comforts of life that these days instead of plain matchsticks electric matches are available which need not depend on frictional force but can be ignited by electricity itself.

Accidents due to Matchstick
It is very common that fires have broken out due to accidents caused by matchsticks. At times due to the blunder of an individual, a light or half-lighted matchstick is exposed to any combustible substance. It provokes a flame and sometimes by circumstance, the small flame engulfs everything surrounding it. Thousands die and even their have been instance of whole factory burnt by the same process. Therefore, we can always say matchsticks are blessings in disguise.

Other utilizations of Match stick
With the manufacture of matchstick, it was almost impossible to sell them individually so it was packed and sealed in small boxes, which fit their size and purpose. Therefore, the boxes developed previously were plain and simple containing their date of manufacturing and their brand name. Then with time and pace in the market, few companies became reputed brands and they started making the boxes of the matches very attractive and colorful. This caught the eye of few people who started collecting different kinds of matchboxes. It almost developed into hobby for them and still date you can find such people looking for specific company or brand match boxes to finish their collection. Such people who collect matchboxes or match labels etc are called phillumeny. Although it is a very awkward hobby but still if minutely observed actually the matchboxes are very eye-catching.
Similarly, few people show their creativity by making small pieces of artwork from matchsticks. Many matchsticks when arranged together can form specific shapes and drawings. There have been many brain storming puzzles and quizzes developed on pieces of matchsticks. Small wall pieces or pen stand are carved out of an arrangement of matchsticks are easily available in any handicraft shop and considered very artistic. Hence the matchsticks are very small things but very important to all of us.

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Fireworks and firecrackers are always associated with positive occasions in life. It is associated with joy, victory, happiness and celebrations. Witnessing the colorful and iridescent burst of fireworks is a joy in itself. It creates a lively atmosphere. It sets the sparks of happiness and fun flying in our hearts and minds.
It is widely accepted that the use of fireworks originated in China. It is believed that the Chinese had introduced its manufacturing almost 2,000 years ago, hence, there’s no particular person given credit for its invention. Fireworks, it is said, was invented accidentally by an unnamed Chinese Cook who somehow managed to create a mixture of charcoal, sulphur and saltpeter. When he stuffed the mixture in a bamboo tube, an explosion occurred, and that was how fireworks or firecrackers were invented.
Another source gives credit to the Indians for inventing fireworks. Also because, Indians are the most enthusiastic in bursting firecrackers in most occasions, be it a wedding, a religious festival or if the national team wins a cricket match. Overlook the enthusiasm of the Indians for fireworks and the Chinese takes away all the glory. The Chinese people are so dedicated to this art that they celebrate its invention every year on April 18 and offer sacrifices to Li Tian, a monk who is credited for its invention.
Fireworks in both Indian and Chinese civilization are regarded effective in warding off evil spirits, darkness and despair. Both cultures use fireworks extensively in birthdays, marriages and festivals. China is also the world’s largest manufacturer of fireworks and the Liu Yang region is famous for its production. The British are not that far behind in the use of fireworks as well. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, she had created a position for Fire Master and King James II, fascinated with the display of fireworks had knighted the fire master. Not even the Americans were untouched by the glamour of fireworks and imported it in large quantities from China for national consumption.
There is an amazing assortment of fireworks available in the market today. The popular ones are Aerials, Firecrackers, Fountains, Cones, Helicopters, Planes and Parachutes, Rockets and Missiles, Sparklers, Wheel, Spinners and Jacks; however, the list is endless depending upon the imagination of the designer. With the advent of the computer age fireworks display has gone hi-tech where launch and bursts are synchronized with music for the entertainment of the public. This is usually witnessed in opening and closing ceremonies of international games, New Year events and other important occasions.
There are many chemicals used in the manufacturing of fireworks like Aluminum, Barium, Carbon, Calcium, Chlorine, Copper, Iron, Potassium, Lithium, Magnesium, Sodium, Oxidizers, Phosphorus, Zinc among others. Aluminum is chiefly used in sparklers for silvery white sparkles and flames while Barium is used to create a green color. Carbon works as a propellant and copper emits a blue color to the fireworks. Each chemical plays an important part in the reaction and the desired effect and movement is produced according to the proportion of the chemicals and the shape and design of the firework.
However, there are safety hazards in the use of fireworks, too, and it should be carried out in a controlled environment with proper precautions. History is a sad reminder of the dangers that fireworks can create. A public fireworks display on the occasion of King Louis XVI marriage to Antoinette created a stampede resulting in the tragic deaths of 800 people in May 16, 1770. There are a few precautions that one should take while enjoying fireworks.
•    Children’s should never be allowed to handle fireworks.
•    One should keep a safe distance from the fireworks.
•    Don’t gaze over the firework while lighting it. It may cause permanent damage to your eyes.
•    Avoid high-decibel generating firecrackers; it may damage your ears.
•    Light fireworks in an open area

Today the manufacturing and design of fireworks have developed into a form of art and science. It is known as pyrotechnics and is the study of the chemical and physical reactions that occurs when a firework is ignited. Still in its nascent stage, the science is gradually gaining popularity and associations like the Pyrotechnics Guild International Inc. enroll amateurs and professionals fireworks enthusiasts to learn new pyro techniques and develop their own mixtures.
Fireworks manufacturing goes through a stringent process of safety regulation before it is finally brought to the market. And manufacturers have to pass safety standards and legal procedures that depend upon government regulation in different countries. Compared to other countries, for example India and China, the United States has far stricter rules, regulations and standards for the manufacture of fireworks. However, there’s bad news for fireworks enthusiasts in the US, because the state and federal authorities are trying to ban consumer fireworks and rocketry indefinitely in the country. This would result in a serious setback to firework companies and followers of the art of Pyrotechnics all over the world.

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Discovery of Nylon
An organic chemist, Wallace Carathers produced nylon, a very commonly found polymer, in the year 1935. However, until 1937, the discovery remained unpatented and in the year 1938, the discovery of nylon was announced. The chemical name of nylon is polyhexamethyleneadipamide. It took seven years for the chemist to accomplish success on this project. He also discovered the fact that the liquid form of the polymer solidified quickly when it was blown through the nozzles that were ultra-thin. The amazing fact about the solidified polymers or resilient fibers is that they were thinner than human hair.

Naming of Nylon
The naming of these fibers became a big problem. First, they were named as Fiber 66. However, as the scientist was not happy with the name and wanted much better name, he had set up a naming committee that came up with 400 names. Out of them, Duparooh and No Run were accepted till sometime. Then, the committee reformed the No Run to Nylon, which remained till date. Though nylon does not carry any kind of Many people believe that the name nylon is a combination of two cities in which the product was launched, i.e. New York (NY) & London (LON). After sometime, the discoverer committed suicide by consuming cyanide.
Due to its property of thermo-plasticity, nylon saw its usage first, in the form of bristles in the toothbrushes of the common man. Then, it was used in the stockings worn by women in the year 1939, which increased its popularity. These stockings were considered delicate to the skin yet strong. Nylon was thought to be one of the reasons for the loss of silk market. Anyone would be amazed to know that it is the pioneer artificial or man-made fiber that was derived from air, coal and water. Moreover, the structure of nylon is quite complicated, as it has repeating links that are connected with the help of peptide or amide bonds.

Chemical Preparation of Nylon
Nylon is also known to be condensation polymer that is formed when equal quantities of diamine and dicarboxylic acid react. In this process, peptide bonds develop at either ends of each monomer. The number of carbons given by a single monomer is specified by the numerical suffix, in which diamine is the first and diacid is the second. In Nylon 6-6 (6/6), one 6 refers to diamine or hexamethylene diamine and the other 6 to diacid or adipic acid. Moreover, six carbons are donated to the polymer chain. Due to the presence of identical reactive group at either ends of every monomer, the amide bond direction between the monomers is reversed. Therefore, in the laboratory, it is possible to prepare nylon 6, 6 from adipic chloride, if adipic acid is not available. Daltons is the unit for measuring nylon strength and ten thousand Daltons are necessary to get strong nylon. Sometimes, it becomes next to impossible to get correct proportions, due to which you can find deviation and bond breakage in nylon. To solve this problem, at the room temperature, nylon salt that is solid and crystalline is formed, by adding acid and base in equal ratios. The base and acid neutralize one another. This salt mixture, when heated to 285 degrees Celsius reacts and forms nylon.
To compete with German company, BASF, DuPont copyrighted nylon 6, 6. The polycaprolactam or homopolymer nylon 6 is prepared by the polymerization of aminocaproic acid or ring opening polymerization. When the peptide bond of caprolactam breaks, the free active groups on the sides have two new bonds. In this, the amide bonds are towards the same direction. Therefore, the properties of nylon 6, 6 and nylon 6 are almost the same, except for the melting temperature, which is low for nylon 6.

Other Nylon Polymers
Nylon 5, 10 is another polymer, in which Carothers showed interest even before nylon 6, 6. This polymer is prepared by combining sebacic acid and pentamethylene diamine. Moreover, it has higher properties than nylon 6,6. However, due to the cost involved in preparing it, it was not given much importance.

Properties of Nylon
The high viscosity in the fluid form enables it to form random coils. Due to the crystalline regions in nylon, it gets strength and firmness. Further, the amorphous regions give it elastic property. Alternative to amorphous regions are lamellar crystals. To get lot of fibers, all the amide bonds should be in trans configuration. Moreover, the backbone of nylon is symmetrical and regular. However, crystalline property in block nylon is less. Nylon can be dyed easily, since it is clear and colorless. When people use multithreaded nylon rope or cord, it is important that they keep their palms dry as they are quite slippery and moreover, it can get unraveled.

Uses
Nylon came to be used in the making of tents, outerwear, sporting bags, combat uniforms, bridal veils, parachutes, carpets, flak vests, vehicle tires, ropes, and so on. Moreover, the solid nylon finds its usage in the mechanical parts and also as an engineering matter. Processes like extrusion, casting and injection molding are used for processing the nylon of engineering grade. In cast nylon, the Nylon 6 is the commonly and easily available commercial grade. In ordinary, the Type 6/6 Nylon 101 is the commonly available commercial grade.

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