Bitumen is a vital material in the construction and road-building industry, holding a special place in civil projects due to its unique properties. Petro-Palashat Eftekhare Toos bitumen, utilizing the latest technologies and adhering to global standards, offers a high-quality and versatile product. This product is available in various types, such as 60/70 soft bitumen, 85/25 mixed bitumen, 220-liter barrel bitumen, and drum bitumen, to meet the diverse needs of the industry.
From road construction to building insulation, Petro-Palashat Eftekhare Toos bitumen guarantees durability and performance as one of the top choices. By better understanding this product and its technical features, you can make the best choice for your projects.
What is Bitumen?
Bitumen is a black, adhesive, and waterproof substance that is naturally found in mines or extracted from crude oil refining. It is semi-solid at room temperature and becomes liquid with increased heat, making it usable in various applications. Bitumen’s structure consists of complex hydrocarbons and mineral elements, which make it resistant to weather conditions and moisture.
Due to properties such as high adhesiveness, resistance to water penetration, and flexibility, bitumen is widely used in the road construction and building industries. It is used to produce asphalt, insulate buildings and industrial structures, and even coat tanks and pipes. Different types of bitumen, such as natural and refinery bitumen, each have specific applications depending on the project’s needs.
Types of Bitumen and Their Applications
Bitumen is a hydrocarbon material with a dense structure and high adhesion, extracted from natural sources like oil sands and bitumen lakes. Additionally, bitumen is a by-product of crude oil refining. There is another type of bitumen, known as tar, which is produced by the distillation of coal tar. Generally, the United States Geological Survey describes bitumen as a form of super-heavy oil with an API gravity of less than 10, meaning it sinks in water. Bitumen’s viscosity can be extremely high, reaching over 10,000 centipoise.
At normal temperatures, bitumen remains solid or semi-solid due to its high viscosity and does not flow. To transport it through pipelines, it must be heated or blended with lighter oils to make it more fluid. Bitumen’s chemical structure consists of hydrocarbon molecules like asphaltenes and resins, along with elements like nickel, vanadium, nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen. In some cases, to optimize the use of bitumen, these elements and compounds are removed due to their polluting effects.
What is Bitumen and What Are Its Applications?
Bitumen is a petroleum-based substance that, due to its unique properties, is widely used in various industries such as road construction and building. It is used as an insulator and waterproofer in building roof insulation and as a strong adhesive in asphalt production for stabilizing locations and bonding stones and sand. In countries like Canada, a large portion of the extracted bitumen is sent to refineries for the production of petroleum products like gasoline. Using bitumen in road construction not only reduces costs but also increases the lifespan of roads and reduces the need for frequent repairs.
How Bitumen is Produced and Processed
Bitumen is primarily produced through the distillation of crude oil in refineries. In this process, crude oil is heated under atmospheric distillation, and its components are separated based on molecular weight. At the end of this process, a heavy substance called vacuum residue or bottom-of-the-barrel remains, which serves as the raw material for producing refined bitumen. This substance is then transferred to another refinery where processes like air blowing, mixing, polymer blending, or solvent use are employed to enhance bitumen quality. Solvents such as carbon tetrachloride and carbon sulfur are specifically used to remove impurities, determining the purity of the bitumen.
Difference Between Petroleum Tar and Coal Tar Bitumen
Bitumen: A type of bitumen extracted from petroleum sources, recognized as a petroleum-based product. This type of bitumen is used in road construction, waterproofing, and asphalt production due to its chemical and structural properties.
Coal Tar Bitumen: This substance is obtained from the distillation of wood or coal. Due to its different properties, it is used in other industries such as chemical and paint production. Due to differences in origin and properties, these two types of bitumen cannot be used interchangeably.
Types of Bitumen and Their Features
Natural Bitumen (Gilsonite): This type of bitumen is extracted as lumps from mines and is often consumed in the form of micronized powder. Gilsonite contains impurities such as ash and is categorized based on the percentage of impurities and particle size.
Refinery Bitumen (Refinery Bitumen): This bitumen is directly produced from crude oil refining. Depending on its hardness and softness, this type of bitumen has various applications. Nowadays, to optimize its properties, additives such as polymers, solvents, and emulsifiers are blended into refinery bitumen.
Modified Bitumen Classification
Modified bitumens are categorized into three main groups based on their characteristics and specific applications:
Cutback Bitumen: A type of modified bitumen with low viscosity made by combining pure refinery bitumen with organic solvents like diesel, naphtha, diesel oil, and furnace oil. These solvents evaporate quickly due to their low boiling points, leaving pure bitumen on the surface. Depending on the evaporation rate of the solvent, cutback bitumen is available in slow, medium, and fast-setting versions. This type is typically used in industries that require low-viscosity bitumen and in asphalt production processes without the need for heat.
Emulsion Bitumen: This type of bitumen is produced by adding a specific amount of water and emulsifier to pure bitumen. Emulsion bitumen, which is in liquid form with low viscosity, is used in road maintenance and is considered environmentally friendly due to its ability to be applied cold. It is categorized into cationic, anionic, and rapid, medium, or slow-breaking types based on electrostatic charge of particles and water evaporation time.
Polymer-Modified Bitumen (PMB): This bitumen has increased resistance and flexibility by adding 1 to 5 percent polymeric materials. These polymers typically include natural polymers like lignin, thermoplastics, synthetic rubber, and thermoplastic elastomers. Using polymer-modified bitumen reduces temperature sensitivity, increases adhesiveness, and improves performance in varying temperatures.
Special Bitumen Classifications
In addition to the three main categories above, bitumen can also be classified as follows:
Oxidized Bitumen: Produced by blowing warm air through refinery bitumen under vacuum conditions, oxidized bitumen is hard and brittle. It is used in building insulation due to its resistance to penetration and high softening point. Oxidized bitumen is categorized into low, medium, and hard categories based on penetration degree and softening point.
Crystalline Bitumen: This hard, brittle bitumen is derived from the leftover distillation residue of crude oil. Crystalline bitumen lacks elasticity and is mostly used in specific and economical applications.
Bitumen Applications in Various Industries
Due to its adhesive and waterproof properties, bitumen plays a key role in various industries. Some of its important applications include:
- Road and Highway Construction: Around 85 percent of produced bitumen is used in the construction of roads, airport runways, and platforms.
- Waterproofing: Bitumen is used to prevent moisture penetration in building construction, factory flooring, and water channels.
- Construction Applications: Penetrating and emulsion bitumen are used in railroad construction, and polymer-modified bitumen is employed to reduce noise and vibration in the railway industry.
- Marine Industries: It is widely used for covering channels, underground tunnels, dam construction, and marine docks.
- Miscellaneous Uses: Bitumen is also used in producing roofing felt, printing ink, packaging paper, electrical cable insulation, and junction boxes.
Bitumen, with its various types and features, is one of the most widely used materials in construction and civil industries. Selecting the right type of bitumen based on the project needs and environmental conditions can help improve performance and reduce costs.
Technical Specifications of Bitumen Types
To identify quality bitumen suited for specific needs, understanding its technical specifications is crucial. These specifications will help you select high-quality bitumen with long-lasting durability. The key technical features of various bitumens are outlined below:
- Penetration Degree: One of the main quality indicators of bitumen, penetration measures its hardness and resistance. The lower the penetration, the harder and more resistant the bitumen is. It is measured using a standard needle under 100 grams of weight at 25°C for 5 seconds and is expressed in tenths of millimeters.
- Viscosity: Viscosity indicates the stickiness of bitumen. The higher the viscosity, the more solid the bitumen is. It is measured using devices such as the Saybolt Furol or kinematic methods.
- Flash Point: The flash point is the temperature at which bitumen’s vapors will ignite when exposed to a flame. This feature is crucial for safety during the heating process. The maximum heating temperature of bitumen should not exceed the flash point.
- Weight Loss During Heating: When heating bitumen, part of its oil and petroleum components evaporate, causing a reduction in its weight. This feature is typically measured at 163°C for 5 minutes
Bitumen Purity Calculation Formula
To calculate the purity percentage of bitumen, the following formula is used:
(Pure bitumen weight) ÷ (Impurity weight – Pure bitumen weight)
These technical specifications help you select the appropriate bitumen for your needs and ensure its durability and proper quality.
Why Buy Bitumen from Petro-Palashat Eftekhare Toos?
Petro-Palashat Eftekhare Toos is one of the top bitumen manufacturers in Iran, offering a variety of high-quality products that meet the needs of various industries, including construction and road-building. By adhering to international standards, the company guarantees bitumen with outstanding technical features such as suitable penetration grade, standard flash point, and optimal viscosity. The diverse product range, competitive pricing, extensive exports, and professional customer service make Petro-Palashat Eftekhare Toos a reliable and economical choice for bitumen.
