Question

Name the petroleum product for surfacing roads.

Answer 1

Hint: Petroleum products are derived from crude oil and are processed in oil refineries. For surfacing roads we need sticky and highly viscous liquid type of a material.

Complete step by step solution:
a) Asphalt also known as Bitumen is the petroleum product used for surfacing roads. Bitumen is a highly viscous liquid or semi solid form petroleum. Its primary uses are in road construction. It is used as glue or a binder mixed with aggregate particles to create asphalt concrete. It is also commonly called ‘tar’.
b) It is also used as bituminous waterproofing products, which includes production of roofing felt and for sealing flat roofs.
c) The properties of Asphalt or Bitumen changes with change in temperature. There is a specific range where viscosity permits adequate compaction by providing lubrication between the particles during a compaction process. At low temperature, it prevents aggregate particles from moving and required density is achieved.
d) The main components of asphalt are of four main classes:
i) Naphthalene having partially polycyclic aromatic compounds.
ii) There are polar aromatics, mainly high molecular weight phenols and carboxylic acids.
iii) Saturated hydrocarbons
iv) Asphaltenes having heterocyclic compounds and high molecular weight phenols.
e) Bitumen occurs both naturally and as well as can be manufactured. Large deposits of it are seen in Pitch Lake in Trinidad.
f) Asphalt is also used for insulating purposes in varieties of building materials, pipe coating, carpet tile backing and paint.

The name of a petroleum product for surfacing roads is Bitumen.

Note: For surfacing roads, the used material should have the ability to bind the aggregates particles. Should have adhesive property, then only the metal we use to build roads remains intact.