A match consists of three basic parts: the head, the tinder and the handle. The head contains more than twenty chemicals, which fall into four classes: binder, fuel, oxidising agent and dilutant.
•Binder –– the glue made from recycled materials that binds the match’s head to the stick.
•Fuel –– the main fuel is sulphur (either in its pure form or as sulphide) although other ingredients do burn too.
•Oxidiser –– potassium chlorate provides oxygen to make the match burn strongly under diverse conditions.
•Dilutants –– these modify the burning rate so that the oxidiser and fuel do not react too violently. They also give the head added bulk.
The tinder is the substance attached to the head and is usually a piece of wood or cardboard; the handle is often made of the same material as the tinder.
The side of the box contains red phosphorus, binder as a starch and powdered glass or fine sand.
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