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SIBUR produces more than 20 grades and formulas of SBS materials
Styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) is widely used as a conditioner (modifier) for bitumen. It is a synthetic thermoplastic elastomer allowing for expanding the range of temperatures when operating motor ways: to resist plastic deformation during hot summer months and keep elasticity and ductility properties of asphalt during winter periods. Modified bitumen is a so-called polymer-bitumen binder.
Road pavement based on polymer-bitumen binders is extra strong and highly durable. Using these types of pavement in road construction leads to a significant decrease in operating expenses for road infrastructure.
SIBUR is the leading manufacturer of SBS polymers in Russia. Based on Voronezhsynthezkauchuk Holding in 2023, over twenty grades of bitumen conditioners were produced in quantities fully covering the needs of Russian road industry.
Anton Lugovtsov, Senior Manager at SIBUR, told us about several novel solutions developed by the Holding, which are focused on relevant needs of road industry in many regions of Russia.
SBS polymers for longtime transporting of polymer-bitumen binders
The first one of the presented solutions by SIBUR is a conditioner (modifier) grade DST L 30-01 (SR). This is a delamination-resistant polymer designed for longtime storage of the finished polymer-bitumen binders (up to 72 hours under temperature of up to 180 °С) and for transportation to remote places without losing their properties and performance standards. The fine texture of this material determines its optimal technological properties as a binding component (decrease in viscosity and improved compatibility with bitumen) and provides more time for construction workers to lay the asphalt-concrete pavement.
Low-viscosity SBS polymer for use under low temperatures
The second presented conditioner (modifier) is designed for creating asphalt-concrete mixes used in the northern regions with severely continental climate featuring extreme temperature swings, especially with low temperature conditions during the winter period.
In the process of developing this grade, the molecule design was changed fundamentally, which required the study of dozens of structural combinations to identify the optimal properties. This frost-resistant polymer will increase the reliability of the modified asphalt-concrete material in the regions with a low temperature limit of -46 °С, will allow for significant reduction of the road pavement wear-and-tear thickness and thus save on maintenance costs at facilities with intense traffic.
Thermally resistant SBS polymer for molded hot asphalt-concrete materials
Another relevant solution by SIBUR is a conditioner (modifier) for asphalt-concrete surfacing designed for operation under heavy duty and laid in extremely high temperature conditions in an injection molding way. This is an SBS polymer grade L 30-01A featuring extra thermal stability (up to +240 °С without any material loss of properties), which SIBUR developed in partnership with ABZ-1 Group, one of the major manufacturers of asphalt-concrete mixes in Russia. This solution is mainly used for laying the pavements on bridges and engineering structures, where the use of heavy vibratory compactors to achieve the required solidity of asphalt is not allowed.
It is now possible for the industry to use molded asphalt-concrete materials combined with a thermally resistant polymer modifier of bitumen for bridges under construction or under up-grade without any risk of losing properties and with a stable quality.
SIBUR implements polymer solutions for road water discharge systems
To protect the earth road bed under the pavement layer from excessive water cut, it is necessary to plan modern and a reliable water discharge for surface runoffs and precipitation water when designing motorways. Efficient water discharge may be achieved by using polymer pipe culverts, polymer systems for collecting and draining surface runoffs and local disposal facilities — the modern solutions have already proven to be successful at transportation facilities.
The widespread use of polymer water drainage systems is still held back due to a lack of market awareness regarding the calculation of the lifecycle cost and cost of ownership for polymer infrastructure. To solve this problem, SIBUR and the Construction Physics Research Institute are developing an engineering and economical comparison of polymer water drainage systems against traditional solutions. According to the estimates by Anton Lugovtsov, as a result of such work, the Russian road industry will receive a sound evidence base in favor of polymer technologies by the end of 2023.
“We plan to continue developing and bringing to market polymer solutions which allow for the improvement of the technical conditions of Russian motorways, irrespective of external factors and increasing traffic load”, the Senior Manager of the Holding summarized.
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