Air Blown Bitumen 85/25

Last updated: 2026-10-09

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Air Blown Bitumen 85/25

Air blown bitumen 85/25 is an oxidized (blown) grade with a softening point of 85°C ± 5 and a penetration value of 25 dmm (0.1 mm) at 25°C, produced by passing air through vacuum residue at 240–280°C. It is supplied in 150 kg steel drums, 1 MT jumbo bags, or bulk at an indicative export price of USD 420–520 per MT FOB (Bandar Abbas / Jebel Ali), depending on volume, packaging, and freight terms.

What Is Air Blown Bitumen 85/25?

Air blown bitumen 85/25 — also written as oxidized bitumen 85/25 or blown bitumen grade 85/25 — is a semi-hard industrial bitumen manufactured by catalytic air oxidation of penetration-grade feedstock. The "85/25" designation follows ASTM D36 (softening point) and ASTM D5 (penetration) test methods.

The blowing process raises the softening point and reduces penetration, producing a harder, more thermally stable binder than straight-run bitumen. Grade 85/25 sits in the medium-hard range — harder than 90/40 and 95/25, but softer than 115/15 and 135/10.

Key production parameters:

  • Feedstock: vacuum residue (penetration 60/70 or 40/50)
  • Reactor temperature: 240–280°C
  • Air rate: 50–120 m³/hour per reactor
  • Blowing time: 6–14 hours depending on target softening point
  • Typical yield loss: 2–5% (volatile oxidation products)

Technical Specifications: Air Blown Bitumen 85/25

PropertyTest MethodUnitTypical ValueSpecification Range
Softening pointASTM D36°C8580–90
Penetration @ 25°CASTM D5dmm2520–30
Flash point (COC)ASTM D92°C260min. 230
Solubility in CS₂ASTM D2042%99.5min. 99.0
Density @ 25°CASTM D70g/cm³1.041.01–1.06
Loss on heatingASTM D6%0.3max. 0.5
Penetration after heatingASTM D5% of original72min. 60
Ductility @ 25°CASTM D113cm3min. 2
Ash contentASTM D482%0.5max. 1.0
Water contentASTM D95%0.1max. 0.5

Packaging options and indicative net weights:

PackagingNet WeightUnits per 20' FCLTypical Use
Steel drum150 kg80 drums (12 MT)Direct melt, small plants
Drum (182 kg)182 kg80 drums (14.56 MT)Middle East exports
Jumbo bag1,000 kg20 bags (20 MT)Bulk handling
Polybag (soft)25 kg1,000 bags (25 MT)Roofing, mastics
Bulk tanker20–24 MT—Volume industrial buyers

Air Blown Bitumen 85/25 vs Other Oxidized Grades

Choosing the right grade depends on the end application. Below is a direct comparison of the most commonly traded oxidized bitumen grades.

GradeSoftening Point (°C)Penetration (dmm)HardnessPrimary Applications
90/4090 ± 540SoftWaterproofing membranes, pipe coating
85/2585 ± 525Medium-hardRoofing, mastics, adhesives
95/2595 ± 525Medium-hardRoofing felt, insulation boards
105/35105 ± 535HardMembrane saturation, damp-proofing
115/15115 ± 515Very hardBattery cases, joint sealants
135/10135 ± 510Extremely hardElectrical insulation, cable compounds

What sets 85/25 apart:

  • Balanced flow and hardness — workable at 160–180°C application temperatures
  • Lower brittleness than 115/15 or 135/10 at cold ambient temperatures
  • Higher heat resistance than 90/40 in roof surface temperatures reaching 70–80°C
  • Cost efficiency — typically 8–12% cheaper than 115/15 per MT due to shorter blowing time

Cost comparison across grades (indicative FOB, USD/MT):

GradeLength of BlowingIndicative FOB PricePrice vs 85/25
90/404–6 hours390–470–7%
85/256–9 hours420–520Baseline
95/258–11 hours450–540+6%
115/1512–16 hours480–580+13%
135/1018–24 hours520–640+22%

Applications of Air Blown Bitumen 85/25

Grade 85/25 is a workhorse industrial binder. Its combination of moderate hardness and acceptable low-temperature flexibility makes it suitable for a broad range of manufacturing processes.

Primary applications:

  • Roofing felts and membranes — saturation and coating of organic and inorganic felt
  • Bituminous mastics and sealants — joint fillers, caulking compounds, expansion joint seals
  • Adhesives — hot-melt bituminous adhesives for flooring and panel bonding
  • Pipe coating — internal and external protective coatings for water and gas pipelines
  • Damp-proofing — basement and foundation waterproofing membranes
  • Sound-deadening panels — automotive and construction acoustic barriers
  • Briquette binders — coal and charcoal briquette binding agent

Application temperature guidelines:

ProcessRecommended Working TemperatureMixing Time
Roofing felt saturation170–190°C30–60 min
Mastic production160–180°C45–90 min
Pipe coating180–200°CContinuous
Adhesive blending150–170°C20–40 min

Case data: A typical roofing felt line consuming 200 MT of 85/25 per month blends it with filler (limestone, 25–35% by weight) and SBS modifier (3–5%) at 180°C, producing 12,000–15,000 m² of finished membrane per day.

Pricing, Logistics, and Ordering Data

Indicative pricing structure (Q1 benchmark, FOB Bandar Abbas):

Order VolumePackagingFOB Price (USD/MT)Total per 20' FCL
20–50 MTDrums470–5209,400–10,400
100–300 MTDrums / Jumbo bags445–4858,900–9,700
500–1,000 MTBulk or jumbo420–460—
2,000+ MT (annual)Bulk410–445—

Lead times and logistics:

  • Production lead time: 10–14 days from confirmed PO
  • Loading time per 20' FCL: 6–8 hours (drums), 3–4 hours (jumbo bags)
  • Transit time (Bandar Abbas → Jebel Ali): 2–3 days
  • Transit time (Bandar Abbas → Mumbai): 5–7 days
  • Transit time (Bandar Abbas → Shanghai): 22–28 days
  • Transit time (Bandar Abbas → Rotterdam): 28–35 days
  • HS Code: 2713.20.00 (petroleum bitumen)
  • MOQ: 1 × 20' FCL (20–25 MT) for trial orders; 100 MT for negotiated pricing

Payment and documentation:

  • Payment terms: 30% advance TT / 70% against B/L copy, or 100% irrevocable LC at sight
  • Standard documents: Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin, Mill Test Certificate, MSDS
  • Third-party inspection: SGS, Intertek, or Bureau Veritas available at USD 500–900 per lot

Quality Control and Storage

Grade 85/25 must be stored correctly to preserve its properties. Oxidation continues at elevated temperatures, and moisture ingress degrades performance.

Storage best practices:

  • Store drums in covered, ventilated warehouses at ambient temperature below 40°C
  • Avoid direct sunlight — drum surface temperatures can reach 70°C+, causing deformation
  • Keep away from ignition sources (flash point typically 260°C, but molten handling is the real risk)
  • Stack drums a maximum of 3 high to prevent bottom-layer deformation
  • Shelf life: 24 months in unopened original packaging
  • Molten storage: hold at 150–170°C, do not exceed 200°C; use nitrogen blanketing if stored over 72 hours

Quality control testing protocol:

TestFrequencyStandard
Softening pointEvery batchASTM D36
PenetrationEvery batchASTM D5
Flash pointEvery 10 batchesASTM D92
SolubilityMonthlyASTM D2042
Loss on heatingMonthlyASTM D6

FAQ: Air Blown Bitumen 85/25

What does 85/25 mean in air blown bitumen?

The "85" refers to a softening point of 85°C (± 5) measured under ASTM D36, and "25" refers to a penetration value of 25 dmm (0.1 mm) at 25°C under ASTM D5. Higher first numbers indicate harder grades; lower second numbers indicate reduced penetration and increased hardness.

What is the price of air blown bitumen 85/25?

Indicative export pricing is USD 420–520 per MT FOB for 20–50 MT orders, dropping to USD 410–445 per MT for annual contracts above 2,000 MT. Final price depends on packaging, volume, payment terms, and destination freight.

What is the difference between 85/25 and 90/40 bitumen?

Grade 85/25 is harder — it has a lower softening point threshold (85°C vs 90°C) and lower penetration (25 vs 40 dmm). It is used where greater heat resistance is needed, while 90/40 suits applications requiring more flexibility.

How is air blown bitumen 85/25 produced?

It is produced by blowing air through vacuum residue at 240–280°C for 6–9 hours, oxidizing the hydrocarbons to increase molecular weight. This raises the softening point and reduces penetration to the target 25 dmm.

What is the minimum order quantity for air blown bitumen 85/25?

The MOQ is 1 × 20' FCL, equal to 20–25 MT depending on packaging (80 drums at 150 kg = 12 MT; jumbo bags = 20 MT). Trial orders can be mixed with other grades, and pricing tiers begin at 100 MT.

Calculate Your Air Blown Bitumen 85/25 Cost Instantly

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