Evaluation of long-term effects of rejuvenation on reclaimed binder properties based on chemical-rheological tests and analyses

This study used multiple chemical-rheological tests to investigate the long-term characteristics of rejuvenating agents in reclaimed asphalt binders. To this end, a base binder and its blending with an extracted binder obtained from recycled asphalt pavements were selected, and two different types of rejuvenating agents: agriculture-based and petroleum-based agents were used to modify the blended binder. The base binder and the blended binders that were modified by the two rejuvenators were then aged using a typical laboratory long-term aging procedure. The chemical studies included: a saturates-aromatics-resins-asphaltenes analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and elemental (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur and oxygen) analysis. The rheological tests primarily investigated the linear viscoelastic properties through aging and rejuvenation. The effects of rejuvenators on restoration were quite material-dependent, which was related to the different chemical compositions of the rejuvenators and their chemical-molecular interactions with the parent binder. The tests and analysis results showed that the immediate effects of rejuvenators are mostly the result of the addition of lighter molecules in rejuvenators, while the long-term effects were material-specific and further chemistry-driven. From the two rejuvenating agents studied herein, the petroleum-based material improves performance of the binder in the next round of service by preserving the chemical composition and maintaining the stability, whereas the agriculture-based agent used in this study might increase the aging issues because of its pre-existing high oxygen content, which could negatively affect long-term durability over service period.     

Constant strain rate experiments and constitutive modeling for a class of bitumen

The mechanical properties of bitumen vary with the nature of the crude source and the processing methods employed. To understand the role of the processing conditions played in the mechanical properties, bitumen samples derived from the same crude source but processed differently (blown and blended) are investigated. The samples are subjected to constant strain rate experiments in a parallel plate rheometer. The torque applied to realize the prescribed angular velocity for the top plate and the normal force applied to maintain the gap between the top and bottom plate are measured. It is found that when the top plate is held stationary, the time taken by the torque to be reduced by a certain percentage of its maximum value is different from the time taken by the normal force to decrease by the same percentage of its maximum value. Further, the time at which the maximum torque occurs is different from the time at which the maximum normal force occurs. Since the existing constitutive relations for bitumen cannot capture the difference in the relaxation times for the torque and normal force, a new rate type constitutive model, incorporating this response, is proposed. Although the blended and blown bitumen samples used in this study correspond to the same grade, the mechanical responses of the two samples are not the same. This is also reflected in the difference in the values of the material parameters in the model proposed. The differences in the mechanical properties between the differently processed bitumen samples increase further with aging. This has implications for the long-term performance of the pavement.     

Electrodeposited silicate films: importance of supporting electrolyte

Silica and hybrid organic-inorganic films, ca. 100-200 nm thick, can be grown on glassy carbon electrodes through reactions initiated by electrogenerated hydroxide or hydronium ions in water under reductive and oxidative conditions, respectively. A variety of different alkoxysilanes (tetramethoxysilane and organoalkoxysilanes) and supporting electrolytes were used to evaluate whether film formation takes place on glassy carbon electrodes. The results of the study indicate that the acid-base properties of the supporting electrolyte are an important factor in determining whether film formation will take place. For cathodic electrodeposition, thin films can be formed using supporting electrolytes that are close to neutral, such as KCl, KNO3, and NaClO4. For anodic electrodeposition, thin films can be formed using supporting electrolytes that are acidic, such as, KH2PO4, HNO3, H2SO4, etc. The acidity/basicity effects of the electrolytes arise in part from the strong dependence of the hydrolysis and condensation rates of the silicon alkoxide precursors on pH.