What is Bitumen?

In short, bitumen is obtained from crude oil. Bitumen is a substance that can be found in solid, semi-solid or liquid forms with a color ranging from dark brown to black with hydrocarbon composition obtained by natural precipitation of crude oil or by distillation in refineries.
Petroleum bitumen is typically referred to as bitumen or asphalt. In Europe for instance bitumen means the liquid binder. In North America, on the other hand the liquid binder is referred to as asphalt, or asphalt cement.
Bitumen may refer to either a naturally occurring mixture of various organic liquids, also called crude bitumen, or a residue yielded in the distillation process of coal or petroleum, called refined bitumen.

Bitumen is a black or dark-colored, amorphous, cementitious material that can be found in different forms, such us rock asphalt, natural bitumen, tar and bitumen derived from oil, which is referred to as petroleum bitumen.

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History of Bitumen

Bitumen is a complex and complicated substance that has been recognized by human long years ago. Modern industry started 1712's bitumen can be attributed to the stones were discovered bitumen in France. Tarry material is then simple to form lumps were broadcast on the local roads. This technique was quite successful and work in progress in a short time, as a powder and heating the material before use respectively.

With the advancement of science and technology, bitumen and a wide variety of applications in various industries and for various uses such as construction, flooring, roofing, underground pipes, metal shielding, sealing reservoirs, canals, bridges, sand dune fixation, staining, etc. . has been found.

Types of Bitumen

• Bitumen Penetration
• Bitumen Emulsion
• Cutback Bitumen
• Oxidized Bitumen
• Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB)

Bitumen Penetration

The penetration grade bitumen is refinery bitumen that is manufactured at different viscosities. The penetration test is carried out to characterize the bitumen, based on the hardness. Thus, it has the name penetration bitumen. The penetration bitumen grades range from 15 to 450 for road bitumen. But the most commonly used range is 25 to 200. This is acquired by controlling the test carried out i.e. the distillation process. The partial control of fluxing the residual bitumen with the oils can help in bringing the required hardness.

Bitumen Emulsion

Bitumen Emulsion is heterogeneous, two-phase systems consisting of two immiscible liquids, bitumen and water, stabilized by a third component, the emulsifier. The bitumen is dispersed throughout the continuous aqueous phase in the form of discrete droplets, typically 0.5 to 5 microns in diameter, which are held in suspension by electrostatic charges.

Cutback Bitumen

Cutback Bitumen (Liquid Bitumen) is Bitumen that is dissolved in a solvent. Typical solvents include Naptha, gasoline and kerosene, white spirit, etc. The type of solvent controls the curing time while the amount determines the viscosity of the Cutback Bitumen.

Oxidized Bitumen

Oxidized Bitumen or Blown bitumen grades are produced by passing air through the penetration grades. This process gives the bitumen more rubbery properties than its original formula and they are simply harder bitumen. Hard bitumen under controlled temperature conditions is widely used as an anti-slip layer compound in the piling industry, for the manufacture of roofing felts, the roofing and waterproofing industries, for sound dampening felts and under carriage sealant in the automotive industry.

Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB)

Polymer Modified bitumen (PMB) is one of the specially designed and engineered bitumen grades that are used in making pavement, roads for heavy-duty traffic, and home roofing solutions to withstand extreme weather conditions. This material is also used as a sealant in residential roofing applications.

Usage of Bitumen

Bitumen is widely used in the construction of asphalt roads and bituminous membrane products. Bitumen is commonly used to build highways, motorways and rail networks. Bitumen has excellent water-proofing properties and is widely used for making roofing products along with a range of other household and industrial applications, from emulsion paints to sound-proofing.

Application of Bitumen

• Constructions of roads, runways, and platforms.
• Waterproofing to prevent water seepage.
• Mastic floorings for factories.
• Canal lining to prevent erosion.
• Dump-proof courses for masonry.
• Tank foundation.
• Joint filling material