Environmentally friendly asphalt release agents from Zeller+Gmelin

High temperatures during the paving and transport of asphalt and strong mechanical influences require high-quality release agents that are a reliable alternative to environmentally harmful release agents. Banned by law anyway, they attack the surface of the asphalt pavement and make it soft. They also pollute the environment and endanger the health of employees. Zeller+Gmelin offers two environmentally friendly alternatives in the Divinol product range, which can be used time and cost effectively and have a high performance potential. Wolfgang Kienle, Product Manager at Zeller+Gmelin: "Our release agents are developed and optimised in close cooperation with our customers, because they have to meet their high technical requirements. At the same time, they are constantly adapted to the current requirements in occupational safety. And finally, the topic of environmental protection and sustainability plays a fundamental role for Zeller+Gmelin."

Alternative to aggressive and environmentally harmful release agents

Divinol Asphalt WM Premium is a concentrate for the production of a very stable plant-based release agent emulsion for rolled asphalt for road pavers and asphalt mixing plants. It is solvent-free and based on renewable raw materials. According to Zeller+Gmelin, the asphalt and bitumen release agent is a water-miscible concentrate from which a stable vegetable-based release agent emulsion can be produced in a ratio of 1:5. The manufacturer guarantees the stability of the emulsion for at least 2 weeks, a sales argument that can hardly be beaten on the market at present. At the same time, the release agent is economical to use and is suitable for all surfaces of rolled asphalt. The product does not require any labelling. "Our environmentally friendly asphalt release agent reliably prevents asphalt or bitumen from sticking," says Zeller+Gmelin product manager Wolfgang Kienle. "Environmentally harmful agents are still in circulation on construction sites. Some of these are already banned, but they are still used because they have been used for decades and are very aggressively effective. This requires conviction and a really good alternative product, which we at Zeller+Gmelin can offer. Our lubricant developers attach great importance to the environmental and human compatibility of all our products. And this is also what the municipalities expect as clients of road construction works."

Less consumption and still clean surfaces

Another non-labelled product based on renewable raw materials is Divinol Asphalt MP, a mineral oil-free product that was specially developed for stone mastic asphalt (polymer-modified asphalt – PmB) as well as for open-pore asphalt (OPA – whisper asphalt) and is usually used undiluted. An OECD 301 C test is also available here, which documents the easy biodegradability of the product.

The product can also be used excellently at low temperatures for repair work by hand. Products containing mineral oil often fail here, as the bitumen cools down quickly and sticks.

The scraper floor of asphalt pavers normally bonds after approx. 4 applications. If Divinol Asphalt MP is applied with a pressure sprayer at approx. 5 bar before use, the result is a bare scraper surface after 4 fillings with mix – a surprising result for the worker.

The product can also be used for tipping troughs, where a significantly lower consumption was observed in comparison to, for example, diesel. The reason is obvious: diesel evaporates immediately, the mineral oil-free Divinol Asphalt MP forms a highly effective film on the surface of the tipping body, so that significantly less release agent needs to be used.

The product has also proven itself for the use of road rollers with mixed tyres, rubber and steel. Especially for the sensitive rubber rollers, a mineral oil-free product offers considerable advantages: The rubber surface is not attacked.