Rosneft Deutschland starts supplies of new Alfabit grades with enhanced performance properties to Switzerland

Rosneft Deutschland GmbH, a Rosneft subsidiary, started deliveries of two new grades of the company’s proprietary polymer-modified bitumen product (PMB), Alfabit, to Switzerland. Both grades were specially formulated to be used at construction areas with high road traffic intensity in Swiss highland and mountain areas, where anti-rutting, anti-cracking as well as waterproofing and low-temperature resistance properties are highly required.

New Alfabit grades have enhanced performance properties such as higher elastic recovery value (30 % higher values in elastic recovery tests than classic PMB grades) as well as expanded plasticity range to ensure resistance of the road coating to wide temperature oscillation. They also show improved values at softening point ring and ball test used as indicator for product consistency at elevated service temperature.

Due to advanced components Swiss Alfabit grades also ensure stronger traction between bitumen and aggregates which is of special importance for road construction in regions with high precipitation and will contribute to asphalt pavement damage prevention.

Technologically advanced recipes of Alfabit have already proved their ability to provide durable and strong road coating in severe weather conditions. For instance, Alfabit grades similar to those developed by Rosneft Deutschland are being used in construction projects of highways in Ural mountains belt region in Russia, with comparable terrain, climate and road intensity conditions to those found in Switzerland.

Rosneft Deutschland aims to further expand the range of high performance bitumen products of its own production and adapt it for a wide variety of road construction projects in Europe.