Asphalt, a black or brown petroleum-like material that has a consistency varying from viscous liquid to glassy solid. It is obtained either as a residue from the distillation of petroleum or from natural deposits. Asphalt consists of compounds of hydrogen and carbon with minor proportions of nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen.
What Is Asphalt Made From?
Asphalt is a sticky, black, and highly viscous liquid or semi–solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product; it is a substance classed as a pitch.
Before the 20th century, the term asphaltum was also used. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek ἄσφαλτος (ásphaltos, ásphalton), a word meaning “secure“.
The primary use of asphalt is in road construction, where it is used as glue or binder mixed with aggregate particles to create asphalt concrete.
Its other main uses are for bituminous waterproofing products, including the production of roofing felt and for sealing flat roofs. The terms “asphalt“ and “bitumen“ are often used interchangeably to mean both natural and manufactured forms of the substance.
In American English, “asphalt“ (or “asphalt cement“) refers to the road–construction material that has been heated to a temperature of 350 °F (177 °C) and used as an ingredient in hot–mix asphalt concrete.
A naturally occurring asphalt lake, the Pitch Lake in Trinidad and Tobago, is the largest deposit of
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