{"id":439,"date":"2024-04-27T21:36:48","date_gmt":"2024-04-27T17:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iranetrade.com\/blog\/?p=439"},"modified":"2025-04-20T14:59:26","modified_gmt":"2025-04-20T11:29:26","slug":"what-is-bitumen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iranetrade.com\/blog\/what-is-bitumen\/","title":{"rendered":"Bitumen: What is Bitumen + Examples and Uses!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bitumen<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0is a precious material used in various industries with lots of value and uses. More than 85% of the world’s bitumen is used for\u00a0<\/span>road construction<\/span><\/em><\/strong>, about 10% in other constructions, and 5% in various industries, including\u00a0<\/span>insulation.<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0In this article of Iran E Trade<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, we will discuss “<\/span>what bitumen is<\/span><\/em><\/strong>” and explain the\u00a0<\/span>significant points in buying bitumen and its price<\/span><\/em><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bitumen price: What is bitumen and its types<\/h2>\n

What is vacuum bottom <\/em><\/strong>? The residue of bitumen distillation<\/strong><\/em>is known as vacuum bottom<\/em><\/strong>, which is used to produce bitumen.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bitumen<\/strong><\/em> is a material that is produced through the distillation of crude oil<\/strong><\/em>. This material has waterproof properties<\/strong><\/em> and high adhesion<\/strong><\/em>. Bitumen is a mixture of dark organic liquids, high adhesion and viscosity<\/strong><\/em>, and has a black or dark brown color. The natural<\/strong> bitumen<\/strong><\/em><\/a> is known as crude bitumen<\/strong><\/em>, and the petroleum bitumen<\/strong><\/em> obtained from the distillation of crude oil<\/strong><\/em> is called refined bitumen<\/strong><\/em>. Bitumen price<\/strong><\/em> depends on the type of bitumen and its different uses.<\/p>\n

(Click to learn about Vacuum Bottom Bitumen<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Oil bitumen<\/strong><\/em> is a viscous substance that exists in liquid to semi-solid phases<\/em><\/strong>. In general, bitumen<\/strong><\/em> is composed of asphaltene resin and other petroleum compounds<\/em><\/strong>, and different compounds of bitumen give it different properties.<\/p>\n

\"Bitumen<\/p>\n

What is industrial bitumen?<\/h2>\n

Industrial bitumen<\/strong> <\/em>is a dark petroleum residue<\/strong><\/em> modified by an oxidation process. The consistency of this type of bitumen varies from very viscousous to solid bitumen<\/strong><\/em>. Industrial bitumen is a safe and cheap material with many uses in the industry, and its features include waterproofness,<\/strong> high adhesion<\/strong><\/em>, and resistance to acid and alkali<\/strong><\/em>. In addition, this type of bitumen is also an effective electrical insulator<\/strong><\/em> because it has excellent dielectric strength.<\/p>\n

(Click to learn about viscosity grade <\/strong><\/em><\/a>bitumen\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.)<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

Bitumen Price and Bitumen Applications<\/h2>\n

Another application of bitumen<\/strong><\/em>is as an adhesive bitumen<\/strong><\/em> used in road projects<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bitumen<\/strong><\/em> has several modern uses. In general, this product has industrial usees like paving roads<\/strong><\/em>. In order to use bitumen in road<\/strong> construction,<\/strong> pure bitumen or a combination of bitumen and aggregates<\/strong><\/em> such as concrete is often used.<\/p>\n

(Click to learn about the uses of bitumen in various industries<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Another significant application of bitumen<\/strong><\/em> is using this material as a waterproof.<\/strong><\/em> For example, bitumen has uses in waterproofing boats and ships or roofs and sides of the buildings<\/strong><\/em>. In the past, bitumen was used for the roof to prevent water from entering the house.<\/p>\n

\"Bitumen<\/p>\n

How is bitumen made?<\/h2>\n

The first question is “how bitumen is produced<\/strong><\/em>“, or “what is bitumen made of<\/em><\/strong>?” In general, bitumen is found in nature and can be extracted from crude oil.<\/p>\n

(To learn more about the introduction of Iranian bitumen refineries<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, click here.)<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Bitumen with natural origin – Gilsonite<\/h3>\n

Natural bitumen or gilsonite<\/strong> <\/em>has many impurities, including sulfur and heavy metals<\/em><\/strong>, and the cost of extracting this mineral bitumen will be higher than the bitumen obtained from crude oil. Natural or mineral bitumen<\/strong><\/em> is used as an additive for waterproof coating, drilling and road construction.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What is natural bitumen<\/strong><\/em>? Natural bitumen is a type of bitumen that exists naturally in nature. But how is natural bitumen formed? Millions of years ago, microscopic algae<\/strong><\/em> (diatoms) were buried beneath sedimentary rocks in swamps and other aquatic habitats. These residues were transformed into natural bitumen under the pressure of the upper sedimentary layers and the temperature above 50 degrees Celsius<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Today, natural bitumen<\/strong> <\/em>is found in oil hills and lakes. The most sources of bitumen are located in Canada, Venezuela and Oman, and there are natural bitumen mines in the west of Iran, which have different ash content.<\/p>\n

(Click to find out the latest bitumen price<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.)<\/p>\n

\"Bitumen<\/p>\n

Bitumen obtained from crude oil distillation<\/h3>\n

Crude oil<\/strong><\/em> is the primary source of bitumen for industry<\/strong><\/em>. It is a mixture of different compounds separated by a distillation tower. The remains of the distillation tower, called vacuum batuums<\/strong><\/em>, are used for processing and conversion to bitumen.<\/p>\n

Different types of bitumen,<\/strong><\/em> including penetration bitumen or oxidized bitumen<\/strong><\/em> (blown bitumen), are produced by various processes in the vacuum floor in the refinery. The significant use of bitumen obtained from crude oil distillation is in road construction<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"Bitumen<\/p>\n

Types of bitumen and their uses<\/h2>\n

Other bitumen <\/strong>grades,<\/strong><\/em> including cutback bitumen, blown bitumen, and bitumen emulsion<\/strong><\/em>, are classified according to their production process. Read more about bitumen and its types.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Since different types of crude oil can produce various bitumen with entirely different properties, bitumen grading<\/em><\/strong> is critical. In general, refineries use a number of standard tests to measure the level of viscosity, amount of penetration, yield and consistency of the bitumen<\/strong><\/em>. The results of these tests are the degrees of bitumen penetration and the degree of viscosity<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"Types<\/p>\n

Types of bitumen: 1. Gilsonite<\/h2>\n

Gilsonite,<\/em><\/strong> or natural bitumen, has uses in the printing industry, painting industry, mud and cement drilling<\/strong><\/em>, asphalt<\/strong><\/em> and road construction<\/strong><\/em>, chemical products<\/strong><\/em>, bitumen quality improvement<\/strong><\/em>, etc.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Gilsonite<\/strong><\/em> is a type of natural bitumen<\/strong><\/em> with a shiny, smooth, and solid appearance. Gilsonite types are classified based on their ash content and solubility in organic solvents. Since this material is hard and brittle<\/strong><\/em>, it is often used in powder form. The composition of Gilsonite is close to refinery bitumen<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, the combination of Gilsonite with refined bitumen<\/strong><\/em> has uses in the road construction industry. However, natural bitumen<\/strong><\/em> has a very high resistance to water penetration<\/em><\/strong>, and its degree of penetration and deformation is low.<\/p>\n

\"Types<\/p>\n

Bitumen types: 2. Penetration Grade<\/h2>\n

To use penetration bitumen<\/strong><\/em> in the road construction industry, you should pay attention to the average temperature of the area and the amount of traffic on it because different grades of this bitumen are different.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Penetration Grade Bitumen<\/strong><\/em> is the most widely used bitumen for road construction, which is classified after production in the refinery by bitumen permeation test using a permeameter device. The deeper the needle penetrates the bitumen surface, the softer the bitumen and the more suitable it will be for any cold.<\/p>\n

The most widely used bitumen for road construction<\/strong><\/em> is penetration bitumen with grade 60\/70<\/strong><\/em> and then grade 80\/100<\/em><\/strong>. In addition, bitumen grade 60\/70<\/em><\/strong> is widely used as a waterproofing material in buildings<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"Bitumen<\/p>\n

Bitumen types: 3. Viscosity Grade<\/h2>\n

Viscosity grade bitumen<\/strong><\/em> is classified based on its viscosity after bitumen production in the refinery. This classification is almost newer than the penetration bitumen classification. Bitumen viscosity<\/strong><\/em> has four different grades<\/strong><\/em>, which are VG10, VG20, VG30 and VG40<\/strong><\/em>, and each has a distinct application.<\/p>\n