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Posted

Bitumen (as far as I know) is made of a series of long chain hydrocarbons of varying types. At low temps these long chain molecules with high molecular weights are bonded fairly strongly by intermolecular forces but not by chemical bonds. This bonding allows the bitumen to act as a glue. When the bitumen is heated the intermolecular forces are easily overcome which allows it to flow like a liquid. If the bonds were chemical rather than intermolecular it would require enormous amounts of energy to get the bitumen to flow.

 

Bitumen acts in much the same way as candle wax if that helps.

Posted
Bitumen can behave as a glue at relatively low temperature, how can this property be explained using its microstructure?

 

as an Amorphous solid would be the closest definition.

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