What is bitumen emulsion?

Bitumen dispersed in water as droplets typically 0.5 to 5 microns across, stabilised by an emulsifier that gives each droplet an electrical charge. Like charges repel, so the droplets stay suspended instead of coalescing. When applied, the emulsion breaks: the droplets merge, the water separates and evaporates, and a continuous film of the original binder remains.

What is the difference between cationic and anionic bitumen emulsion?

The charge on the bitumen droplets. Cationic droplets are positively charged and bond to negatively charged siliceous aggregate such as granite, quartzite and sandstone. Anionic droplets are negatively charged and bond to positively charged calcareous aggregate such as limestone and dolomite. Opposite charges attract. Cationic dominates globally because it adheres to both aggregate families and works in cooler, damper conditions.

Which bitumen emulsion should be used with granite aggregate?

Cationic. Granite and other siliceous aggregates carry a negatively charged surface, so a positively charged cationic emulsion bonds to it strongly. Using an anionic emulsion on granite gives poor adhesion and typically shows up as stripping, with aggregate shedding under traffic within the first season.

What do RS, MS and SS mean in bitumen emulsion?

Rapid setting, medium setting and slow setting, describing how quickly the emulsion breaks after application. RS breaks almost immediately on contact with aggregate and suits surface dressing and chip seal. MS breaks in minutes and can be mixed with coarse aggregate for cold mix and patching. SS resists breaking long enough to be mixed with fine aggregate and filler, which is why prime coat, slurry seal and micro-surfacing all use SS grades.

What does the h mean in CSS-1h and SS-1h?

Hard, referring to the base bitumen rather than the emulsion. A CSS-1h is made from a harder penetration grade than a CSS-1, so the residual binder left after the water evaporates is harder. That matters in hot climates, where a softer residue can bleed or track in summer heat.

What do the K grades of bitumen emulsion mean?

K-series grades follow European rather than ASTM naming. K1 is rapid setting, K2 medium and K3 slow, and the number after the dash is the bitumen content as a percentage. A K1-60 is a rapid-setting cationic emulsion at 60 percent bitumen. Where a specification uses one system and a supplier quotes the other, the equivalence should be confirmed before ordering.

How long does bitumen emulsion keep in storage?

Roughly three to six months depending on grade and storage conditions, far shorter than penetration or oxidized bitumen which keep two to three years. Droplets settle over time and the emulsion needs recirculating or rolling before use. Order against the project schedule rather than stockpiling, and test material that has been sitting.

What happens if bitumen emulsion freezes?

It is destroyed. Ice crystals rupture the emulsifier films around the droplets, the emulsion breaks permanently and cannot be recovered by warming. This is the single failure mode with no remedy, and it is why route and season matter for shipments passing through cold ports in winter.

Can bitumen emulsion be applied in the rain?

Onto a damp surface, generally yes, because cationic emulsion breaks by reaction with the aggregate rather than relying purely on evaporation. In active rain, no: the emulsion is washed off before it can break. Spraying should be planned around dry windows.

Should tack coat emulsion be diluted?

Usually yes. Cationic slow-setting emulsions are commonly diluted around one part emulsion to one part water, so the required residual binder can be spread evenly at rates as low as 0.15 litres per square metre. Undiluted emulsion at tack coat rates is very difficult to distribute uniformly. Check whether the specification quotes residual or diluted volume before calibrating the distributor.

What is the HS code for bitumen emulsion?

HS 2715.00, bituminous mixtures based on natural asphalt or petroleum bitumen. This is a different heading from penetration and oxidized bitumen, which fall under 2713.20. National tariffs add further digits, so confirm the full code with a customs broker.

What is the minimum order quantity for bitumen emulsion?

100 MT. Packing options are 200 kg new steel drums, 1,000 kg IBC totes, ISO tank or flexitank. Mixed grades in one shipment are accepted provided each grade fills a container. Loading is from Mersin, Jebel Ali or Bandar Abbas on FOB, CFR or CIF terms.

Which bitumen grade is best for Togo?

60/70 for standard road construction across most of the country, which is the regional default. 80/100 in high-rainfall zones where moisture damage and stripping are the observed failure mode rather than rutting. 40/50 or polymer modified binder for the Lome port area, truck corridors, intersections and airports where slow heavy loads combine with high surface temperature.

Why might a softer bitumen grade be better in Togo despite the heat?

Because a harder binder has lower ductility, and ductility is what holds aggregate in place through repeated wetting and drying. In Togo's high-rainfall zones, moisture damage and stripping are often the real failure mode rather than rutting. Where that is the case, 80/100 outperforms a harder grade.

Which port should bitumen be discharged at in Togo?

Lome. It is the main commercial and container gateway and among the busiest ports in West Africa. Kpeme is a phosphate export terminal rather than a general import gateway, and containerised cargo including drummed bitumen discharges at Lome.

Can bitumen be shipped through Togo to Burkina Faso, Mali or Niger?

Yes. Lome is a designated transit corridor for the landlocked Sahel. Cargo clears under a transit regime and moves overland by road, roughly 1,000 km to Ouagadougou, 1,200 km to Niamey and over 1,800 km to Bamako. The transit customs regime is separate from the import regime at destination and needs arranging before arrival. Steel drums are strongly preferred for these routes.

How long does bitumen shipping to Togo take?

Roughly 20 to 30 days from Mersin, which is normally the shortest and cheapest origin for West African destinations. Loading from Jebel Ali or Bandar Abbas takes longer. Add three to seven days for the bill of lading after sailing and a further two to five for the certificate of origin.

Does Togo require a certificate of conformity for bitumen imports?

No. Togo does not operate a pre-shipment verification of conformity scheme like Nigeria's SONCAP. Clearance runs on standard customs documentation. What matters on the supply side is a proper batch certificate of analysis against the named standard, and ideally a French-language safety data sheet.

What packing works best for Togolese and Sahel bitumen projects?

Steel drums, despite the higher packing cost per tonne. Sites inland and across the borders have no heated discharge facilities, and drums travel on any truck without special equipment. Jumbo bags work where a forklift or crane is available. Bulk bitutainers only suit asphalt plants in or near Lome with heated storage.

What is the HS code for bitumen in Togo?

Petroleum bitumen, including penetration and oxidized grades, falls under HS 2713.20. Bitumen emulsion and cutback fall under 2715.00. National tariffs add further digits, so confirm the full code and current duty rate with a customs broker before contracting.

Do you provide bitumen documentation in French for Togo?

Yes. Togo is francophone and official documentation is handled in French. The safety data sheet is supplied in French and French-language technical documentation is available, which matters particularly for transit cargo crossing into Burkina Faso or Mali. Commercial documents are issued in English as standard.

What are the payment terms for bitumen supply to Togo?

30 percent by TT in advance with the balance settled against a copy of the bill of lading, and an irrevocable letter of credit at sight for repeat contracts. The balance falls due only once the cargo is on the water and documented.

What is the minimum order quantity for bitumen to Togo?

100 MT, roughly seven 20 foot containers of drummed product or five bulk bitutainers. Packing options are 180 kg and 200 kg new steel drums, 300 kg jumbo bags and bulk bitutainer. Mixed grades in one shipment are accepted provided each grade reaches one full container.

Can oxidized bitumen and emulsion be supplied to Togo?

Yes. Alongside penetration grades the range covers oxidized bitumen for roofing and waterproofing, cationic and anionic emulsion for surface dressing and tack coats, cutback grades for prime coats, polymer modified binder and bituminous membrane.

Bitumen Supplier in Togo Archives

Bitumen Supplier in Togo — Lomé Port and Sahel Transit

Zumrut Uncategorized

A bitumen supplier in Togo is really supplying four countries. The Port of Lomé is the deepest and busiest container port in West Africa and the formal transit gateway for Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, so a large share of the bitumen landing there moves inland under a separate customs regime rather than staying in […]

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Bitumen Supplier in Togo — Lomé Port and Sahel Transit

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