Compositional optimization for a superior asphalt binder
Academic Article
Overview
Identity
Additional Document Info
Other
View All
Overview
abstract
The aging characteristics of naphthene aromatic (NA) and polar aromatic (PA) fractions of an aromatics material were investigated by studying the viscosity and other related properties of aged NA, PA and combined NA and PA fractions of five SHRP core asphalts (AAA-1, AAD-1, AAF-1, AAG-1 and AAM-1). These materials and six supercritical fractions of AAF-1 were aged in air at temperatures of 95C and 100C. The aged fractions were characterized in terms of viscosity temperature susceptibility (VTS), the tendency to harden due to oxidative aging (HS), and the asphaltene formation as a result of carbonyl content growth (AFS) as well as the viscosity-asphaltene relationship Low frequency limiting viscosity, carbonyl content, and asphaltene content were measured to obtain these parameters. NA fractions have smaller HS than PA. NA fractions have a bit larger log viscosity increase than the PA for the same amount of asphaltene addition, but they have smaller AFS. Furthermore, NA fractions are much less temperature susceptible in viscosity than PA Aromatics have properties between their NA and PA fractions. An asphalt binder with superior aging characteristics may be produced by oxidizing a certain supercritical fraction to a desired viscosity level.
