From 1994 to 2007, the purchase price of unvulcanized rubber skyrocketed by 900 percent.    From Wordnik.com.  [Taipei Times] Reference

The vulcanization of rubber makes it more flexible and unvulcanized rubber is soluble in many hydrocarbons like benzene, toluene, gasoline, and lubricating oils.    From Wordnik.com.  [CreationWiki - Recent changes [en]] Reference