Luxovit®

Luxovit® is calcined flint, i.e. flint that has been calcined, or heated, to high temperatures. Originally the flint was formed in cavities of lime formations through which water oozed for thousands of years. Hereby the water liberated silicon oxides in the form of tiny grains. The raw flint still contains about 0.2 % of chemically bound water. When the flint is calcined to about 1200°C the water is liberated from flints and the stone becomes white and crystalline in character. If thin slices were cut through the stone it would appear transparent. This crystalline structure of the stone is what gives it its extremely high reflectivity of light and heat. After calcination the white flint is crushed and sieved into the required fractions. The white crystalline flint, Luxovit®, has a hardness of 7 on the Moh scale, diamond having a value of 10.This is why the Luxovit® is called the “Danish Diamond”.

The use of the product as an aggregate in the top layers of asphalt roads greatly increases the light reflection, thereby significantly increasing night time visibility in both dry and wet conditions.

Advantages:

  • High anti skid resistance of the road surface.
  • High resistance against deformation of the road surface, the
  • highly reflective surface reduces the summer temperature build up of the road by several degrees.
  • Good adhesion of the stone to binder, due to the cubic shape.
  • Cost savings, initially in investments in road and street lighting and maintenance, thereafter in reduced energy consumption.

 

Other important advantages:

Luxovit® is primarily used in Europe where great importanceis attached to the following characteristics of road surfaces:

  • Good visibility under wet and dry conditions
  • High PSV
  • High resistance to deformation in hot, sunny conditions
  • High anti skid resistance
  • Luminance
  • Specular factors
  • Remaining luminance
  • Luminance coefficient
  • Safety of drivers and pedestrians
  • Cost effective, low maintenance lighting systems.
  • On roads without lighting, a driver can see a pedestrian from twice the distance if the surface contains the required amount of Luxovit® compared with standard roads.
  • In tunnels and other dark areas the road must be illuminated efficiently, mainly for safety reasons.

Tests show that the use of Luxovit® increases the whiteness and therefore the reflectivity of the road, allowing the necessary levels of luminance to be easily achieved.