Why is vulcanization called "vulcanization"?
According to Thomas Hancock's 1857 Personal narrative of the origin and progress of the caoutchouc or india-rubber manufacture in England 


  In preparing to carry out the new process on a 
  large scale, it appeared desirable to give the mate- 
  rial a more definite name than " the change," 
  which I had adopted for the purposes of my speci- 
  fication; and, whilst discussing the subject amongst 
  my friends, Mr. Brockedon proposed the term 
  " Vulcanization," and, as no better suggested 
  itself, I determined to adopt it, and it is now 
  known by that name both in Europe and America. 
  It owes its derivation to the Vulcan of mythology, 
  as in some degree representing the employment of 
  sulphur and heat, with which that mythological personage was supposed to be familiar. I shall, 
  therefore, of course use the term in the remainder 
  of my narrative.