The composition and rheological properties of naturally occurring Trinidad Lake Asphalt (TLA) and Trinidad Petroleum Bitumen (TPB) have been investigated. The rheology study highlighted the superior rheological properties of TLA, (high G* and low phase angle). Fractionation of TLA revealed that its asphaltene content was significantly higher than TPB and other asphalt materials and the levels of asphaltenes, naphthalene aromatics and polar aromatics were similar. These observations coupled with TLA's higher concentration of key functional groups can account for its unique physical properties however the higher degree of unsaturation associated with TLA was contradictory. TLA contained 35.3% wt inorganic material which was characterized as kaolinitic in nature and is believed to play a key role in the chemistry of TLA that results in the material's superior properties.
Trinidad Lake Asphalt, rheological properties, fractionation, functional groups, kaolinitic
