Geo320

GEO320 Bitumen is made from low molecular weight (Molecular mass) materials such as sugar and molasses, vinasses, natural tree and gum resins, natural latex rubber and vegetable oils, also suitable raw materials are, palm oil waste, coconut waste, peanut oil waste, canola oil waste, potato starch, wheat. GEO320 can also be made from the distillation bottoms (fractional distillation) derived in the process of cleaning used motor oils etc. GEO320 MRH bitumen can be manufactured from wide variety of water soluble (Solubility) renewable resources (non-petrochemicals) as well as from recycled (Recycling) petrochemical materials, see also sustainability.

The method of manufacturing GEO320 MRH Bitumen is the ability to convert conversion) any water-soluble solubility) material eg, sugar or molasses into an insoluble material, thus controlling the Cross-linking and branching reactions in the binder matrix formulations very accurately. The benefit of this system is that the end product is totally non water-soluble and highly resistant to common solvents such as gasoline, naphtha aviation fuel etc. It must be noted that the full solvent resistance is realized in the final asphalt composition therefore benefiting the end user ie, petrol terminals, petrol stations and anywhere where solvents are exposed to the asphalt surface.

Since GEO320 can be made from non-petroleum raw materials the environmental benefits are numerous, for example, there are no damaging by-fumes emitted at the time of the bitumen and asphalt manufacturing stages or at the time of the asphalt placement on to the road. The fact that GEO320 is made from renewable resources promotes sustainability. Also because GEO320 can be pigmented economically, the lighter asphalt surfaces contribute positively to the so called Urban heat island Effect”.

GEO320 has 17 performance benefits compared to conventional road grade bitumen and asphalt and they are: 1) Higher rheological and mechanical performance properties 2) is made into granulated form hence no hot storage required 3) higher durability and fatigue (Fatigue (material)) properties 4) resistance to solvents 5) lower volatile emissions 6) low heat absorption 7) light reflecting surface in colored form 8) fully pigmentable 9) recycled plastics can be used (in Asphalt and Bitumen) 10) non fuming 11) coloring system used is wear and fade resistant 12) is made from renewable resource eg, sugar and molasses 13) GEO320 is highly resistant to damage caused by i.e., wear, ice, salinity, heat, plant growth and Base course deformation etc 14) Glass spheres in the asphalt mix to give light reflectivity to increase road safety 15) lower application and workability temperatures of asphalt (Warm mix asphalt). 16) Increased skid and abrasion resistance to conventional roller and stone mastic asphalts.17) Micro Mastic matrix Technology.

Bitumen has always been hazardous to work with due to the potential serious burns to plant and road crews because normal bitumen has to be kept in a liquid suspension (Suspension (chemistry)) by storing it in heated containers. Because GEO320 comes in a dry granulated form, it can be stored indefinitely and it is only introduced at the hot aggregate asphalt Mixing (process engineering) stage. From the point of Occupational Health and Safety, this is a great benefit since there is no more exposure hazards to fumes for the asphalt workers, which make the work place safer?

Asphalt made with GEO320 MRH (Mastic roller hybrid) bitumen is less slippery due to two important characteristics a) it has a lower oil content than conventional bitumen and b) the mix design that was designed in the late eighties in the MRH asphalt formulation has a micro aggregate protrusion (MAP), meaning that once the surface has gone through roller compaction the asphalt surface retains these fine silica particles and resembles very much your everyday sand paper. The surface finish is therefore comparable to a “properly” constructed mastic asphalt with the addition of having voids from 0% - 20% drainage asphalt (Permeability) when desired.

References

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