Bitumen
Bitumen is defined as “A viscous liquid, or a solid, consisting essentially of hydrocarbons and their derivatives, which is soluble in trichloro-ethyelene and is substantially nonvolatile and softens gradually when heated. It is black or brown in colour & posseses waterproofing and adhesive properties. It is obtained by refinery processes from petroleum, and is also found as a natural deposit or as a component of naturally occurring asphalt, in which it is associated with mineral matte. Bitumen emulsion is one kind of speciality chemicals, which has large commercial uses as coating materials in the road construction and many other construction fields. It is also used as sealing material for the different type of laminated paper. Bitumen is available in the nature also and it is the byproduct of petroleum distillation plant or coal carbonization plant. Uses Most bituminous binders are used in the construction of roads