Evaluation of thermal and viscoelastic properties of asphalt binders by compounding with polymer modifiers

Abstract

A series of potentially useful asphalt blends containing polyethylene with different extents of polarity as modifiers have been prepared and characterized for asphalt pavement. The results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies show that poly(ethylene‐graft‐maleic anhydride) (MPE) exhibit more interaction with asphalt phase than low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) due to more dispersion of the amorphous content of MPE into the asphalt matrix. The phase distributions of micrographs from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirm that polyethylene modifiers with different extents of polarity in asphalt blends results in dispersion of polymer additive into the asphalt phase and affect the certain degree of the phase separation of asphalt blends. From rheological studies, most of asphalt blends exhibit superior performance at higher temperature with increasing the contents of modifiers such as reducing Newtonian flow response, enhancing rutting resistance as well as frequency of loading and improving creep resistance than tank asphalt. POLYM. COMPOS., 31:1738–1744, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers.

New Study on Improved Performance of Paving Asphalts by Crumb Rubber and Polyethylene Modification

“…A less phase separation or boundaries was attained when lower percentage weight of 5.0% was blended with the asphalt implies a better dispersion of the polymer into the asphalt. Similar results were obtained by [15] when they blended LDPE with asphalt in a percentage weight of 5.0%. This probably suggests the use of LDPE in a less than 5.0% as the best choice.…”

“…Further, polyolefin's such as Polyethylene (PE) comprise 60% of these plastic wastes. Therefore, it is apparent that polyethylene would be more economical and effective in asphalt paving than other polymeric materials [15]. However, not all plastics wastes are compatible with the asphalt matrix [18].…”

“…This increases the viscosity of the mix by the formation of a more internal complex structure [14]. Besides, the utilization of synthetic polymers usually increases the cost of asphalt [15]. The most common and globally used polymers include approximately 75% elastomeric modified binder, 15% plastomeric and the remaining 10% belongs to either rubber or other modifiers [16].…”

Asphalt Pavement Material Improvement: A Review

“…Results of DSC have shown that asphalt binders containing polyethylene-grafted-maleic anhydride (MPE) was better in interaction with the asphalt phase than LDPE and HDPE, due to the higher dispersion of the higher amorphous content of such polymer into the binder matrix. Rheological studies showed that most of the asphalt blend had superior performance at higher temperature with increasing the contents of those mentioned modifiers such as enhancing rutting resistance as well as frequency of loading and improving creep resistance than conventional asphalt [66]. Back in the early 1990`s a research have been carried out by Labib, M. E. et al, to achieve proper dispersion of CR particulates into asphalt and to make CR compatible modified asphalt with improved, both in high and low temperature properties which can lead to reduced cracking, rutting, and reveling tendencies of the CRMA pavement.…”

“…However, not all plastic solid wastes are compatible with asphalt matrix. Asphalt is thermoplastic material of hydrocarbons including paraffinic saturates, aromatics, resins, and graphitic asphaltenes [66]. Therefore, it is an interesting challenge for polymer, which is compatible with asphalt.…”