Project No.: 19016
Name of the project, duration
Development of the commercial products based on sulfur concrete and sulfur-modified asphalt; 2 years for the period 1.4.2008.-31.3.2011.

Financier: the Ministry of Science and Technological Development of Serbia
Implementer: ITNMS, Belgrade
Leader: Ph.D.Velislav Vidojković

Subject of work:

In the process of refining oil, in its desulphurisation in Claus process, we obtain significant amounts of elementary sulfur. Tighter international standards on the content of harmful impurity in oil derivatives (including the sulfur), in the world is a very strong trend of increasing supplies of elementary sulfur. Therefore, sites of natural sulfur lost in their importance, and the price of elementary sulfur on the world market has become symbolic. The same trend is observed in our country, and today sulfur that occurs in the process of refining oil to domestic refineries is a significant environmental problem. Projections of work of domestic oil refineries in the next few years show that in this period, the amount of sulfur generated from the process of refining oil in our grow to nearly 60,000 tons per year. On the other hand, the needs of traditional domestic consumers of elementary sulfur, such as rubber industry, paint and agriculture, can not approximate spend any amount of sulfur present which arise in domestic refineries.
The problem of supplies of sulfur in the world solved using sulfur in a variety of purposes, primarily for obtaining sulfur concrete, asphalt based on sulfur, fertilizer production based on sulfur, etc.. In the past research are defined thermodynamic and physical-chemical parameters for obtaining sulfur concrete and asphalt based on sulfur, apropos, we adopted the technological processes of production in laboratory. Application of commercial products based on concrete sulfur and sulfur-modified asphalt means to define the specific characteristics of these materials in relation to specific real application potential commercial products. In terms of sulfur concrete, its application for production of building blocks, floor plants on the farms or chemical industries, paving sidewalks, curb and shoulder development, manufacture drainage pipe or tube for drainage of waste water, etc.. means mutually different physical-chemical characteristics and technical and technological parameters for the production of basic materials. Research has focused on profiling and definition of several categories of sulfur concrete which will be composed to meet needs for the maximum performance needed for a specific purpose.

Research directed towards the development of sulfur concrete in the following fields of application:

• Decorative paving slabs for pavements, paths, squares and promenades;
• Chemical resistant panels for floors and surfaces on farms and in factories of chemical industry;
• Standard Curbs for pavement;
• Acid resistant drainage pipes;
• Sulfur concrete as a base for paving sidewalks and roads.

When it comes to the sulfur-modified asphalt, the research is carried out in three directions:

• Defining the optimal technological parameters for the regime of softening bitumen, sulfur, additives and devices due to the type and composition of the aggregates, where the focus of research will be placed on the most acceptable types of commercial generators, including the available clay and overburden from the existing landfills in the country;
• Defining the parameters mechanochemistry pretreatment of sulfur and additives and the impact of treatment parameters on the production of sulfur-modified asphalt and characteristics of the final product;
• The impact of sulfur and various kinds of organic emulsificators to improve the characteristics of asphalt (as a final product), obtained from the asphalt used.

NIS (Serbian Oil Industry) is interested in the application of the results of this project. So as a participant, NIS will financially support the project through the purchase of specific equipment necessary for implementation.

Collaborators on project:

Ph.D.Velislav Vidojković, Senior Research Associate
Mr Tamara Boljanac, Professional Advisor
Mr Vlahovic Milica; Research Fellow
Mr Sanja Martinovic, Research Fellow
Mr Anđelka Brankovic, Research Fellow
Ph.D. Natasa Djordjevic, Research Associate