Asphalt Additives
TeraMuls Bitumen Emulsifier
Bitumen Emulsifiers were first started to be produced in early 20th century. Bitumen Emulsifiers constitute approximately 20% of the use of bitumen in the world. The use of emulsifiers is rapidly increasing in recent years.
Fields of Application and Use
There are three groups of Bitumen Emulsifiers:
Anionic emulsifiers with negatively-charged particles,
Cationic emulsifiers with positively-charged particles,
Nonionic emulsifiers containing neutral particles or nonionic emulsifiers.
Ionic emulsifiers are classified by their shear rates as fast shear, medium shear and slow shear emulsifiers.
The first emulsifiers produced in early 20th century were of anionic type. With the development of chemistry, science and industry, cationic emulsifiers have been developed in the course of time. In road applications, cationic emulsifiers were started to be chosen because they cover the aggregate surface more effectively and have better adhesion properties due to the amine compounds that they contain.
Bitumen emulsifier consists of bitumen droplets suspended in water. As it is known, this dispersion may not occur under normal conditions. However, if TeraMuls is added to water; bitumen can be dispersed in water in the form of an emulsifier.
TeraMuls is mixed with water and other chemicals during the production of bitumen emulsifier. This aqueous solution is pumped into a colloid mill together with bitumen. Colloid mill breaks up bitumen into small droplets. In the meantime, lipophilic part of the TeraMuls emulsifier settles on bitumen, while the hydrophilic part of it settles on the water interface.
By forming a structure as shown in the figure, it prevents bitumen particles that have the same polarity from being combined by repelling each other. Then, the emulsifier is pumped into a storage tank.
Emulsifiers allow for asphalt applications to be produced at lower temperatures. As hot asphalt mixture is prepared at 150°C - 180 °C, emulsifier application temperatures are between 45°C and 70 °C. Therefore, emulsifier applications are often called as cold mixture
n order for bitumen to become fluid and workable, it is required to be heated at high temperatures, add solvent to it or to be emulsified with water. TeraMuls Bitumen Emulsifier is the most important component that allows for bitumen to be emulsified with water by using chemical and mechanical processes.
As TeraMuls cationic bitumen emulsifier is produced by using amine compounds, just like anti-stripping additives, it also increases stripping resistance (adhesion).
Advantages
TeraMuls completely surrounds the bitumen particles within water. In this way, it prevents the adhesion of the bitumen particles suspended in water to each other, and gives more resistance to emulsifier.
During the application (spreading it on the surface, mixing it with aggregate etc.), it allows to be combined according to slow or fast shear optionally.
Produced emulsifiers can be transported to longer distances without degradation and disruption and by maintaining their stabilities, and can be stored for a longer period of time and their cutting times can be adjusted accordingly. It has increased resistance to stripping due to the emulsifier.
TeraMuls increases adhesion of aggregate with asphalt emulsifier without need for using anti-stripping additives.
Different emulsifiers can be produced depending upon a wide range of application areas and construction techniques.
It can be applied by using known asphalt equipment.
It is possible to obtain on-site and plant-recovered cold mixtures (recycling) and some other asphalt pavement and mixture types in an easy, cost-effective, resistant and durable way.
Application
It is possible to obtain the following coatings by using TeraMuls emulsifiers:
Adhesive layer
Prime coat
Surface treatment
Slurry seal
Micro- surfacing
Key Points to be Considered During the Use of Emulsifier
Store it at suitable temperature according to the application to be made. The storage temperature is generally between 30 °C and 70 °C.
Do not heat it more than 80 °C. High temperature would cause water to evaporate and change the emulsifier characteristics.
The emulsifier should never freeze. If it freezes, bitumen and water are separated from each other and the emulsifier disrupts.
The surface where emulsifier will be applied should not be above 90 °C. Otherwise, emulsifier quickly disrupt on the hot surface.
Mixing by means of shaking it can cause rapid disruption of emulsifier.
Care should be taken not to pass it through narrow pipes and attention should be paid to the pressure when it is pumped.
It is not recommended to add water to the fast-disrupting emulsifiers. Water can be added to emulsifiers that are generally disrupted at medium and slow speed. If water is required to be added, it should be added slowly. The emulsifier should never be added to water.
Emulsifier should not be circulated too much. Excessive pumping and circulation causes viscosity to increase. Also, air bubbles that might occur in emulsifier cause emulsifier to disrupt quickly.
Emulsifier should not be poured into tanks, tankers and distributors in which another substance has been previously stored.
There should be separate partitions in the transport trucks to prevent shaking.
Different emulsifiers should not be mixed with each other. Even emulsifiers of the same type might have been produced by using different emulsifiers.
To prevent foaming, the inlet and outlet pipes in the tanks should always be at the bottom of the tanks.
Main reasons for settlement and disruption are lower emulsifier dosage, sudden temperature changes and very long storage time. Bitumen particles start to form larger particles by adhering to each other. When the heavy bitumen particles start to settle, disruption starts.
Packaging
It should be stored away from sunlight and moisture. It is supplied in 180 kg barrels.
Technical Specifications
| Specifications | Standard | TeraMuls CN | TeraMuls CF | TeraMuls AN | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Cationic | Cationic | Anionic | ||
| Appearance 20 °C | Liquid | Liquid | Liquid | Liquid | |
| Color | Yellow | Light yellow | Light yellow | ||
| Density | TS EN 15326 | 0,94 ± 0,2 | 1,05 - 1,10 | 0,98 - 1,05 | g/cm3 |
| pH | 8 ± 1 | 4 - 6 | 4 - 7 | ||
| Flash Point | TS EN ISO 2592 | >150 | >150 | Not Flammable | °C |
| Viscosity 25 °C | ASTM D 4402 | 150 | 250 | 240 | mPas |
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