Polymer Modified Bitumen

Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB) is a collection of bituminous binders for roads that are specifically designed and intended to reinforce asphalts and increase road traffic safety by adding certain polymers into the mixture..
Polymer modified bitumen (PMB), one of the specifically developed and produced bitumen grades, is used to make pavement, heavy-duty traffic roads, and extremely weather-resistant roofing materials for residential buildings. Bitumen becomes PMB, or polymer-modified bitumen, which is a better material for infrastructure since it is stronger, more cohesive, more resistant to fatigue, stripping, and deformations.
For pavements designed to endure severe weather and high traffic, particular bitumen grades are required. We are able to create bitumen that greatly improves its strength, cohesion, and resistance to elements like fatigue and permanent deformations in road pavements by adding a polymer to conventional bitumen to change its properties, whether or not it is elastomeric.

Key Players
Valero (United States)
NuStar Energy L.P (United States)
Suncor Energy Inc, (Canada)
Athabasca Oil Corporation (Canada)
Imperial Oil Limited (Canada)
Syncrude Canada Ltd. (Canada)
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (India)
ENEOS Corporation (Japan)
ExxonMobil Coroporation (United States)
Shell Bitumen (United Kingdom)
Petróleos Mexicanos (Mexico)
Nynas AB (Sweden)
Marathon Oil Company (United States)
Bp p.l.c (United Kingdom)
Royal Dutch Shell plc (United Kingdom)
Total Energy (France)
Sinopec Corporation (China)

Segmentation
•    By Type
o    Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE)
o    Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS)
o    Atactic Polypropylene (APP)

•    By Application
o    Pavement
o    Roads Construction
o    Home roofing
o    Infrastructure industries

Market Dynamics
Driver 
Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB) is becoming more and more necessary.  Polymer-modified bitumen provides the customer with increased durability as well as numerous additional advantages over regular bitumen. The binder's resistance to ageing and fatigue, traffic loads, and environmental changes is strengthened by the use of polymers. As a result, PMB-built roads last longer and require less maintenance.
Road surfaces are more resilient to temperature changes and the strain of driving because PMB offers them greater flexibility. The polymer additives increase the binder's elastic properties, reducing the likelihood of cracking and rutting. This enhanced flexibility guarantees safer, smoother, and more pleasurable driving. Because of its enhanced waterproofing properties, polymer modified bitumen is a great choice for road building. PMB prevents potholes and pavement deterioration and forms a robust barrier that keeps moisture out of the building. Additionally, PMB has exceptional resistance to a variety of weather conditions, including extreme heat, UV radiation, and precipitation.
Polymer modified bitumen is used to build roads that have superior resistance to rutting and fatigue injuries. The polymer additives in the binder give increased resistance to permanent deformation caused by repetitive traffic loads. This increased resistance ensures that the road surface will last longer between repairs and maintenance.

Restraints
One of PMB's primary disadvantages is that it is more expensive than conventional bitumen, which may prevent the industry from growing. Since the incorporation of polymers increases the overall production and material costs, PMB is a more expensive option for road building and maintenance. In projects with limited funding or when cost-effectiveness is the primary goal, this cost component could be very significant. Another drawback is that PMBs may become less compatible with modern bitumen materials. Combining several bitumen types can cause phase separation and reduced efficacy. This could lead to issues including poor waterproofing, insufficient layer adhesion, and limited pavement construction durability. PMB may present challenges for both construction and upkeep. Higher mixing and compaction temperatures might be required due to the modified bitumen's increased viscosity, which would call for the usage of specialised equipment and personnel with specialised experience. In colder climates, it may be challenging to reach the ideal temperature for efficient mixing and application, which could delay the completion of building projects. 

Opportunity
Potential for polymer technology to advance and enhance the properties of modified bitumen even further. Bitumen is commonly added chemically to a variety of goods, such as black paint and solvents. Paints and coatings work better when bitumen is added chemically, increasing the viscosity of waterproofing agents. Chemically modified bitumen is also added to emulsions as a candy-coated chemical. Bitumen, when mixed with fly ash and lime, produces smooth and excellent road surfaces; when mixed with organic amides and amines, it contributes to better adhesive qualities. Therefore, it is projected that these factors will aid in the market expansion for polymer-modified bitumen in the years to come. Polymer modified bitumen (PMB) is widely employed in road construction because of the rapid growth of developing economies' economies. This encourages companies to invest more in additive manufacturing R&D. Thus, it is expected that the market for polymer modified bitumen (PMB) will grow in the near future. In addition, the growing requirement for more robust paving materials across a number of applications is expected to drive up demand for polymer modified bitumen (PMB) over the projected period. 

Recent Industry Insight
On July 2021, LUKOIL LAUNCHES PRODUCTION OF ADVANCED POLYMER-BITUMEN BINDERS AT ITS NIZHNY NOVGOROD REFINERY
On July 2020, Total and Indian Oil Form Joint Company in India to Offer High-Quality Bitumen Derivatives

Key Target Audience
End User
Potential Investors
New Entrants
Innovation and R&D
Suppliers and Manufacturers
Others