Pitch is used in the manufacture of asphalt.
The notion of tar can refer to different substances. The first meaning of the term mentioned by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) in its dictionary refers to a viscous substance generated from the distillation of wood from various conifers placed on the fire.
The idea of distillation, in turn, indicates the process that is generated when a body is heated until the evaporation of its volatile substances is achieved, which can become liquid again when cooled. Distilling also involves causing a liquid to leave a body through the droplets that exude through the pores .
Types of pitch
Pitch is obtained from pyrolysis or pyrolysis : that is, from a procedure that, thanks to the intervention of heat , leads to a chemical compound decomposing. It usually arises from tars , which are liquids generated when certain woods, oil or coal, among other materials, are distilled.
Tar , in fact, is known as liquid pitch . When pitch is produced by distilling coal , it is called mineral pitch .
Another kind of pitch is dry pitch . This is the name for rosin , a solid resin that appears when turpentine (a juice secreted by various trees) is distilled.
Crass pitch , meanwhile, is a mixture of three substances: black pitch , tar and rosin . As we already saw, rosin is a solid resin derived from turpentine, while tar is a liquid obtained by distillation of different materials. In the case of black pitch, it is a substance resulting from the action of distilling impure turpentine.
Your story
Elements have been found that show that humans have used tar since prehistoric times. In the archaeological site of Illeta dels Banyets ( Spain ), to mention one site, a kiln was discovered where Aleppo pine was distilled to produce pitch.
Pitch can be obtained from the resin of certain trees.
In the 17th and 18th centuries , on the other hand, the Scandinavian countries exported large quantities of pitch that they made with wood from their forests. It is important to mention that, in some regions, the remains of felled or sawn trees were used to make tar.
What is tar used for?
At a general level it can be stated that pitch is a product derived from different processes that transform biomass , oil , coal , etc. It is a versatile material with multiple uses.
In the past, pitch was used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes . This is due to its antiseptic, antidermatitic and antibacterial properties. Pitch was also used to insulate and waterproof boats and amphorae .
Today, pitch is often used to make asphalt , glue parquet, seal cracks and fill joints, among other tasks.
A tree and several places
It should be noted that brea can also refer to a tree that belongs to the family group of composite plants. From this species with the scientific name Parkinsonia praecox , a resin similar to gum arabic is used as a replacement for pitch.
In Spain , on the other hand, there are villages and towns such as Brea ( La Coruña ), Brea de Tajo ( Madrid ) and Brea de Aragón ( Madrid ), while in Argentina the town of Brea Pozo ( Santiago del Estero ) is located.