Asphalt softening point

Softening point for bitumen (ring and ball method) NF T 66-008 (future NF EN 1427) ASTM D 36 Temperature at which a ball passes through tin asphalt sample disk attached to a ring... 

Trinidad asphalt has a relatively uniform composition of 29% water and gas, 39% bitumen soluble in carbon disulfide, 27% mineral matter on ignition, and 5% bitumen that remains adsorbed on the mineral matter. Refining is essentially a process of dehydration by heating the cmde asphalt to ca 165°C. The refined product averages 36% mineral ash with a penetration at 25°C of about 2 (0.2 mm), a softening point (ring and ball method) of 99°C, a flash point (Cleveland open cup) of 254°C, a sulfur content of 3.3%, and a saponification value of 45 mg KOH/g. The mineral matter typically contains... 

Temperature is the most important variable and preheating is generally necessary to 200—230°C. After air has been introduced, there is a gradual temperature rise because of the exothermic reaction, until some means is appHed to hold the temperature such as a water or steam spray on the asphalt surface to maintain a temperature of approximately 260°C. The end point can be predicted by periodic testing of the softening point. 

Many agents have been proposed and patented including copper sulfate (34), zinc chloride (35), ferric chloride (36), aluminum chloride (36), and phosphoms pentoxide (37) ferric chloride, zinc chloride, and phosphoms pentoxide have been most widely used. The addition of these agents may vary from 0.1 to 3%, depending upon the feedstock and the desired characteristics of the product (Table 5) and all asphalt feedstocks do not respond to catalysts in the same way. Differences in feedstock composition are important qualifiers in determining the properties of the asphalt product. The important softening point-penetration relationship, which describes the temperature susceptibiUty of an asphalt, also varies with the source of the feedstock. Straight-reduced, air-blown, and air-blown catalytic asphalts from the same cmde feedstock also vary considerably. 

This equation is based on the approximation that the penetration is 800 at the softening point, but the approximation fails appreciably when a complex flow is present (80,81). However, the penetration index has been, and continues to be, used for the general characteristics of asphalt for example asphalts with a P/less than —2 are considered to be the pitch type, from —2 to +2, the sol type, and above +2, the gel or blown type (2). Other empirical relations that have been used to express the rheological-temperature relation are fluidity factor a Furol viscosity P, at 135°C and penetration P, at 25°C, relation of (H—P)P/100 and penetration viscosity number PVN again relating the penetration at 25°C and kinematic viscosity at 135 °C (82,83). 

With minor exceptions the requirements for the physical and chemical properties of asphalt were essentially the same for the three national specifications and included penetration and ductiUty at 25 °C flash point % loss at 163 °C penetration of residue as a % of original solubiUty in carbon disulfide solubiUty in carbon tetrachloride specific gravity at 25°C and softening point. 

Built-up roofing constitutes several pHes of a saturated roofing felt (low melt, flexible asphalt saturant) with each ply mopped in place and the stmcture covered by air-blown asphalts of from 60° to 105°C softening point, with the hardness selected depending primarily on roof slope. These roofs are usually surfaced with mineral aggregates. 

Type 1 asphalt is the softest type of mopping asphalt with softening points between 68°C and with penetration at 25°C between 18 and 50 mm /10. It is for roof slopes of less the j in. per ft (0.25 per 12). It is also called dead level asphalt and is not commonly used today because of the porosity of the fiber-glass ply felts and the industry recommendation that roof slope a minimum of j in. per ft. 

Type IV asphalt is not common except in very hot climates. It has softening points between 96 and 107°C with penetration at 25°C between 12 and 25 mm /10. It is for roof slopes greater than 1 per 12, and is also called special steep asphalt. Type IV asphalt is used on flashings and in hot climates to keep the roofing system from sliding off the roof in hot weather. 

Blends with styrenic block copolymers improve the flexibiUty of bitumens and asphalts. The block copolymer content of these blends is usually less than 20% even as Httie as 3% can make significant differences to the properties of asphalt (qv). The block copolymers make the products more flexible, especially at low temperatures, and increase their softening point. They generally decrease the penetration and reduce the tendency to flow at high service temperatures and they also increase the stiffness, tensile strength, ductility, and elastic recovery of the final products. Melt viscosities at processing temperatures remain relatively low so the materials are still easy to apply. As the polymer concentration is increased to about 5%, an interconnected polymer network is formed. At this point the nature of the mixture changes from an asphalt modified by a polymer to a polymer extended with an asphalt. 

The softening point of residua and asphalt is the temperature at which asphalt attains a particular degree of sofmess under specified conditions of test. 

Asphalt—mbber is mixed and applied to roadways by several techniques. In one method, mbber and asphalt are mixed at ca 175—220°C for one to two hours. The hot mixture is applied to the roadway and covered with a layer of stone chips to form a chip seal. The mbber cmmb consists of scrap tires ground into particles less than 2 mm in diameter. Rubber-modified asphalt is also used for waterproofing membranes, crack-and-joint sealers, hot-mix binders, and roofing materials. The mbber improves asphalt ductility and increases its softening point. The aggregate adhesive bond is stronger, and the asphalt lasts longer. Production of rubber-modified asphalt has increased from 405 t in 1970 to 27,000 t in 1980 (41). Typically, about 2 t of mbber is used for 1 km of roadway. If it is assumed that asphalt—mbber contains ca 25% mbber and 75% asphalt, the potential demand for scrap mbber would be ca 40,500 t/yr, or ca 2% of the amount available. 

Asphalt Roofing Components. Asphalt (qv) is a unique building material which occurs both naturally and as a by-product of crude-oil refining. Because the chemical composition of crude oils differs from source to source, the physical properties of asphalts derived from various crudes also differ. However, these properties can be tailored by further processing to fit the application for which the asphalt will be used. Softening point, ductility, flash point, and viscosity—temperature relationship are only a few of the asphalt properties that are important in the fabrication of roofing products. 

If asphalts having properties in the area above the blowing curve are desired, the producer may resort to the use of oxidation catalysts, which have been the subject of extensive study in recent years (7,12,19, 36, 56, 77,118). The only catalysts known to be in large scale use are ferric chloride and phosphorus pentoxide (36, 45). Table II illustrates that asphalts of the same ring and ball softening point oxidized in the presence of these catalysts have markedly higher 77° and 32° penetrations than another prepared from the same base stock in the absence of catalyst. 

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