VISCOSITY AND SOLUBILITY OF MIXTURES OF BITUMEN AND SOLVENT

The solubilities of three bitumen samples (Suncor, Syncrude and Lloydm inster) in five solvents were examined and prediction on the various b itumen-solvent mixture viscosities were made with Cragoe equation. By calculating the Cragoe constant 'a' for each mixture and using the ave rage value in the Cragoe equation the prediction accuracy of the equat ion was improved by over 60%. Bitumen-naphtha mixtures showed the best viscosity prediction characteristics. The solubility of the asphalten es in the bitumen was highest in toluene among the five solvents. Howe ver, naphtha, showed a moderate solvating power, which negligibly vari ed over the range of composition studied. Therefore naphtha, a solvent derived from bitumen was recommended as the most appropriate solvent for reducing the viscosity bitumen.