A match consists of a wooden or paper stick with a coating of chemicals at one end that ignites when struck against an appropriate surface. The ignition results from thereat generated by friction as the two surfaces are rubbed together. The match enabled people to overcome the limitations of damp tinder and bad weather and create a flame at will,
English chemist John Walker (1781-1859) created the first friction match in 1827. He owned a pharmacy in Stockton-on-Tees and manufactured an explosive chemical mixture for use in percussion caps, a component of firearms. He accidentally discovered that this mixture, made of equal quantities of antimony sulfide and potassium chlorate, ignited when rubbed along a rough surface. Walker had previously used chlorate matches, which ignited after being dipped in a bottle of sulfuric acid, but began manufacturing them using the new mixture instead. Walker called the matches "congreves." The chemical composition of the friction match was refined, and an analysis in the 1820s showed them to be composed of five parts potassium chlorate, five parts antimony sulfide, three parts gum Arabic, and one part iron oxide.
The friction match was, however, patented by Samuel Jones and sold under the name of Lucifer matches. The ignition of these matches was violent and often occurred with a loud bang. The flame at the match head was unsteady, did not always result in ignition of the stick, and had an unpleasant odor. White phosphorus was added to remove these flaws, but then the matches had to be kept in an airtight box to prevent them from spontaneously combusting.
