Bitumin Emulsion

Bitumen emulsion is a mixture of fine droplets of bitumen and water. But as the bitumen is a petroleum product it doesn’t mix with water and as it is sticky in nature, it doesn’t easily gets disintegrated into fine droplets. To overcome this problem an emulsifier is used. Emulsifier can be defined as a surface-active agent. Emulsifier keeps the bitumen in its fine droplet state by disallowing it to mix with other droplets. As the droplets are very fine they suspend in water. “Therefore, bitumen emulsion is a dispersed liquid consisting of three products, i.e. water, bitumen and emulsion”.

The bitumen emulsion is classified into types based on Setting Time when the bitumen emulsion is applied on the aggregate for the road works the water evaporates leaving behind the bitumen droplets. These droplets spread on the aggregate and bind with each other and gains strength eventually. Based upon the time taken by the vitamin emulsion to evaporate the water and between particles to separate from water, bitumen emulsion is further classified into 3 types based on setting time:

 

a) Slow setting emulsion

In this type of emulsion, a special type of emulsifier is used to slow the process of water evaporation. These types of emulsifiers are relatively stable. Slow Setting Emulsion is further subdivided into SS-1 and SS-2 types.

b) Medium setting emulsion

This type of bitumen emulsion doesn’t break as when applied on aggregate. The process of evaporation starts when the fine dust of minerals is mixed with the aggregate emulsion mix.

c) Rapid setting emulsion

 

This type of bitumen emulsion breaks down rapidly as it comes with contact with aggregate helping in fast setting and rapid curing. Break is rapid even with coarse aggregate of relatively low surface area. Rapid Setting Emulsion is further subdivided into RS-1 and RS-2 types.

emulsion-bitumen-1

Advantages of Bitumin Emulsion

Advantages and Uses of Bitumen Emulsions are:

        Bitumen emulsion are used extensively in bituminous road construction. Other than this they are used for maintenance and repair work.

        Emulsions can be used in wet weather even if it is raining.

        Is eco-friendly as it is water based.

        Bitumen emulation is also used in soil stabilization in desert areas.

        It doesn’t need extra heat while placing.

        There is no wastage in placing and laying of bitumen.

        They possess anti-stripping properties.

        Rapid setting type of emulsion are used in surface of roads.

        Medium setting type of emulsion are used in premixing of bitumen emulsion and coarse aggregate.

        Slow setting type of emulsion are used with fine aggregates as the surface area is large and requires time for uniform mixing.

 

We supply Emulsion in packed steel MS drums and bulk load in tankers/flexi tank of brands like Indian Tar Coal Company (ITCC – Our in-house brand) and ongole as well.

Bitumin Emulsion

Specification

The table shows the specifications of Bitumen Emulsion: 

CHARACTERISTICS

GRADES OF EMULSION

METHOD OF TEST

RS-1

RS-2

MD

SS-1

SS-2

Residue on Sieving, 600 micron IS

0.05

0.05

0.05

0.05

0.05

ASTM D244

Kinematic Viscosity 25-50°C

20-100

100-300

50-300

20-100

30-150

ASTM D2170

Storage Stability after 24h, percent, max

2

1

1

2

2

ASTM D244

Residue by evaporation, percent, min

54

58

56

50

58

ASTM D244

Penetration 25°C, C/100g/5 sec

80-150

80-150

60-150

60-350

60-120

IS 1203

Ductility 27°C/cm, Min

50

50

50

50

50

IS 1208

Solubility: in Trichloro-Ethylene, Percent by mass, min

98

98

98

98

98

IS 1216