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Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 November 2023) | Viewed by 29983

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Siyu Chen

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Guest Editor

School of Transportation, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Interests: asphalt pavement; asphalt binder; porous media; crumb rubber modification; waste plastic; rheology property; polyethylene; polymer-modified asphalt

Prof. Dr. Zhanping You

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
Interests: design, construction, and maintenance of pavements; low carbon materials; micromechanics for road materials; discrete element modeling and finite element modeling techniques; recycled materials for civil engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Tao Ma

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Guest Editor

School of Transportation, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Interests: construction materials: asphalt binder; ground tire rubber; asphalt recycling; high viscosity modifier; Styrene–butadiene–styrene copolymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Dongdong Ge

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Traffic & Transportation Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha, China
Interests: asphalt testing and characterization; asphalt pavement materials; asphalt pavement design; asphalt pavement evaluation; recycled materials for pavement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Guangji Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Transportation, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Interests: asphalt aging; recycling; multiscale characterization; modelling of pavement materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There has been significant research progress in the area of asphalt materials and construction technologies in the past decade. These include the use of rubber asphalt, bio-mass derived asphalt, nanomaterials, waste plastic application, as well as warm-mix asphalt technologies. The asphalt pavement researchers and practitioners have made extensive efforts to develop and promote new pavement materials and maintaining sustainable pavements. Innovative pavement materials, which can potentially extend durability, reduce costs, decrease neat material usage, and lower environmental impacts, are desirable for such purposes. Modified asphaltic materials have been well developed over the past few decades. With all these development, a collection of the advances in the area of advanced polymers and paving technologies will be necessary for the industry, researchers, government agencies, and other stakeholders.

We invite authors to contribute original research articles, as well as review articles, that will contribute to the area in advanced polymers and paving technologies. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

Advanced asphalt materials such as polymer modified asphalt, rubber asphalt, bio-asphalt
Advanced technologies such as warm-mix asphalt, cold mix asphalt
Recycling materials for pavement purposes
Advanced asphalt pavement construction and maintenance strategies

Dr. Siyu Chen
Prof. Dr. Zhanping You
Prof. Dr. Tao Ma
Prof. Dr. Dongdong Ge
Dr. Guangji Xu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

asphalt binder
modified asphalt materials
waste plastic
crumb rubber
bio-mass derived asphalt
asphalt recycling—hot, warm, cold
rejuvenation
nanomaterials application

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 8377 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Plug Joint with Polymer-Modified Rubber Asphalt as Filling Material

by Kyung-Nam Kim, Yeong-Min Kim and Tri Ho Minh Le

Polymers 2023, 15(21), 4256; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15214256 - 29 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1671

Abstract

Rising traffic volume, heavy loads, and construction activities have raised concerns about expansion joint device damage. This study focuses on developing an innovative expansion joint using polymer-modified rubber asphalt as the filling material to enhance its service life. Styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) emerged as a suitable modifier for rubber-modified asphalt, significantly improving elasticity and adhesion. Through the strategic combination of 3- and 2-block linear SBS, the elasticity and adhesion properties were significantly improved, resulting in the formulation of a well-suited polymer-modified rubber asphalt binder. The developed asphalt binder exhibits impressive elastic recovery (61.1% to 66.1%), surpassing commercial products, with enhanced constructability and workability (15% to 21% viscosity reduction). The carefully engineered mastic asphalt mixture showcases self-leveling characteristics at a moderate 210 °C, addressing historical constructability challenges. Settlement is 40% less than traditional hot mix asphalt for surface layers, with improved moisture and stripping resistance, enhancing existing asphalt plug joint durability and workability. Collectively, this novel mixture, comprising polymer-modified rubber and mastic asphalt, showcases the potential to enhance the durability of existing asphalt plug joints while ensuring superior constructability and workability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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15 pages, 2483 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Vegetable Oil on the Properties of Asphalt Binder Modified with High Density Polyethylene

by Elizabeth Langa, Giovanna Buonocore, Antonino Squillace and Herminio Muiambo

Polymers 2023, 15(3), 749; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15030749 - 1 Feb 2023

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2611

Abstract

Economic development results in increased traffic and higher traffic loads that often cause serious asphalt pavement problems, such as permanent deformation, fatigue cracking, and reduced lifetime. Polymers are seen as viable asphalt additives to minimize these problems. However, their incorporation reduces the workability of the material due to the increase in the viscosity of the blend. This study evaluates the effect of the addition of soybean oil on the physical, rheological, and thermal properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-modified asphalt binder. The HDPE was kept at 5 wt.% and the soybean oil the asphalt was varied from 1 to 7 wt.%. A series of tests was conducted to evaluate the binders, comprising conventional tests (penetration, softening point, and ductility) rheological performance tests (dynamic viscosity and short-term aging (RTFO), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The addition of HDPE reduced the penetration and increased the softening point and viscosity. The oil reduced steadily the viscosity, improved the workability and the thermal susceptibility of the modified asphalt up to 3 wt.% of oil, and reduced about 92% mass gain after aging. Hence, the oil is considered a good modifier agent for the improvement of polymer-modified asphalt’s workability under service conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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22 pages, 7172 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Pavement Material Using Crumb Rubber Modifier and Graphite Nanoplatelet for Pellet Asphalt Production

by Jong-Sub Lee, Sang-Yum Lee, Yoon-Shin Bae and Tri Ho Minh Le

Polymers 2023, 15(3), 727; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15030727 - 31 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3298

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to promote the recycling of pellet asphalt with Crumb Rubber Modifier (CRM) and Graphite Nanoplatelet (GNP) in pothole restoration. In this study, several laboratory tests were carried out on mixes containing CRM content ratios of 5%, 10%, and 20% and GNP content of 3% and 6% in order to identify the ideal mixing ratio of pellet-type asphalt paving materials. The Marshall stability test, the Hamburg wheel tracking test, and the dynamic modulus test were all performed to compare the effectiveness of the proposed method and heated asphalt combinations. Afterward, the full-scale testbed was conducted to verify the practical application between the proposed method and popular pothole-repairing materials. Both laboratory and field test findings confirmed that the asphalt pavement using 5% CRM and 6% GNP improved the resistance to plastic deformation and anti-stripping compared to the generally heated asphalt paving material, thereby extending road life. However, the resistance to fatigue cracking can be slightly reduced by incorporating these additives. Overall, the CRM and GNP asphalt pellet approach is a feasible solution for sustainable pavement maintenance and rehabilitation, particularly in small-scale damage areas such as potholes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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18 pages, 3746 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Imidazolium Ionic Liquids as Compatibilizer Agents for Microcrystalline Cellulose/Epoxy Composites

by Eduardo Fischer Kerche, Agnė Kairytė, Sylwia Członka, Vinícius Demétrio da Silva, Nicholas Alves Salles, Henri Stephan Schrekker and Sandro Campos Amico

Polymers 2023, 15(2), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15020333 - 9 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1854

Abstract

Four imidazolium-based ionic liquids (IL; 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, 1-carboxymethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, 1,3-dicarboxymethylimidazolium chloride and 1-(2-hydroxyethyl) -3-methylimidazolium chloride) were tested as compatibilizers of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). Subsequently, ethanolic IL solutions were prepared; MCC was mixed, and the mixtures were left to evaporate the ethanol at ambient conditions. These modified MCC were characterized and applied as reinforcements (5.0 and 10 phr) in an epoxy resin aiming to manufacture biobased composites with enhanced performances. The IL did not significantly modify the morphological and structural characteristics of such reinforcements. Regarding the thermal stability, the slight increase was associated with the MCC-IL affinity. The IL-modified MCC-epoxy composites presented improved mechanical responses, such as flexural strength (≈22.5%) and toughness behavior (≈18.6%), compared with pure epoxy. Such improvement was also obtained for the viscoelastic response, where the storage modulus at the glassy state depended on the MCC amount and IL type. These differences were associated with stronger hydrogen bonding between IL and epoxy hardener or the IL with MCC, causing a “bridging” effect between MCC and epoxy matrix. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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16 pages, 2739 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Performance and Mechanism of SBR and Bio-Oil Recycled SBS Modified Asphalt

by Yuanbo Li, Dongdong Ge, Zihao Ju, Songtao Lv, Yanhua Xue, Yiyang Xue and Liangchen Peng

Polymers 2022, 14(23), 5096; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14235096 - 24 Nov 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2190

Abstract

With the continuous development of road construction and maintenance, SBS(Styrene-butadiene-styrene)-modified asphalt is widely used. However, there is no mature method for restoring aged SBS-modified asphalt. This study proposes the use of SBR(polymerized styrene butadiene rubber) and bio-oil for the restoration of aged SBS. In this study, five kinds of recycled asphalt were prepared by adding 5% bio-oil, 10% bio-oil, 6% SBR, 6% SBR + 5% bio-oil, and 6% SBR + 10% bio-oil to long-term aged SBS-modified asphalt. Softening point, penetration, and rotational viscosity experiments were tested to evaluate the conventional properties. Rheological tests revealed the performance of asphalt. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and atomic force microscope (AFM) tests were tested to demonstrate the microscopic characteristics of asphalt. Conventional tests investigated that aged asphalt viscosity will increase. Bio-oil could well recycle the asphalt viscosity. SBR could also soften aged asphalt, but its modification effect is limited compared with bio-oil. Rheological tests presented that the SBR and bio-oil have little impact on the temperature sensitivity of SBS-modified asphalt. SBR and bio-oil could decrease the asphalt stiffness. However, SBR and bio-oil could ameliorate the anti-cracking behavior of aged asphalt. The microscopic tests exhibited that SBR and bio-oil could decrease the asphaltene and colloid. Meanwhile, bio-oil could supplement alcohols and ethers at wave number 1000 cm⁻¹–1270 cm⁻¹. Alcohols and ethers are hard to oxidize, something which has a beneficial role in the anti-aged of recycled asphalt. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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11 pages, 2462 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modification of Bitumen with Recycled PET Plastics from Waste Materials

by Yerzhan Imanbayev, Akkenzhe Bussurmanova, Yerdos Ongarbayev, Akmaral Serikbayeva, Serik Sydykov, Maxat Tabylganov, Anar Akkenzheyeva, Nurlan Izteleu, Zhansaya Mussabekova, Dauren Amangeldin and Yerbol Tileuberdi

Polymers 2022, 14(21), 4719; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14214719 - 4 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2850

Abstract

Nowadays in the world, due to the constant desire for recycling, many countries are considering the use of recycled plastics on roads. Modification of bitumen for roads in Kazakhstan is considered one of the most suitable and popular approaches. This paper presents the results of research on the modification of bitumen by recycled plastics from waste materials. The paper describes the details of the use of plastic waste as bitumen modifiers, with a specific focus on recycled plastics and how they can potentially be used to enhance bitumen performance and the road durability. The main physical and mechanical characteristics of the modified bitumen were determined after routine tests, penetration and plasticity, softening temperature, brittleness temperature on Fraas and microscopic analysis. The morphology of the modified bitumen was studied using scanning electron microscopy. The results confirm that the modified bitumen complies with the requirements for polymer-bitumen binder of Kazakhstani standards and is suitable for the production of modified bitumen by its physical and chemical characteristics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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19 pages, 2066 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Degradation Characteristics of Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene Copolymer Asphalt Binder Filled with an Inorganic Flame-Retarding Agent

by Xiaobing Chen, Zhenyu Ma, Jianguang Zhou, Juntian Wang, Xiaorui Zhang, Ronglong Zhao and Jinhu Tong

Polymers 2022, 14(18), 3761; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14183761 - 8 Sep 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2284

Abstract

Asphalt binder is a complex mixture of dark brown polymers composed of hydrocarbons with generally poor fire resistance. To improve its flame retardancy when used in tunnel asphalt pavements, a new inorganic flame-retardant filler (FR) containing magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, inorganic phosphate, and melamine salt was explored. Thereafter, limiting oxygen index (LOI) and smoke suppression tests for the flame-retarded asphalt binder (FRA) mastics mixed with FR and styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) copolymer asphalt binder were conducted. Thermogravimetric (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves for the FRA were correspondingly generated. Based on the TG data, the reaction function g(α), apparent activation energy E_a, and pre-exponential factor A were quantitatively evaluated using kinetic analysis. In addition, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) test was utilized to assess the effects of the presence of FR on the chemical composition of the asphalt binder. Dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests were also performed to evaluate the rheological behavior of FRA. Results show that the presence of the FR significantly reduced the LOI and improved the smoke suppression during combustion of the asphalt binder mastics. The presence of FR was found to increase the E_a and the complexity of the combustion reaction, thereby improving the flame retardancy of the asphalt binder. FTIR analysis indicated that the presence of FR did not induce any strong chemical reactions to significantly impact or alter the functional groups of the asphalt binder. Furthermore, it was also observed that the rutting parameter and critical failure temperature of FRA increased with the addition of FR due to the stiffening effect of the solid FR particles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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14 pages, 4898 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Investigation of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Emissions in Environmentally Friendly Modified Asphalt

by Shuoqiu Chen, Jiaqing Wang, Qiang Li, Wenxuan Zhang and Chaojie Yan

Polymers 2022, 14(17), 3459; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14173459 - 24 Aug 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2326

Abstract

Asphalt pavements are increasingly used in road engineering; however, the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from asphalt can harm the environment and humans. In this study, different types of modifiers are added to 70# virgin asphalt to prepare environmentally friendly modified asphalt, and its performance is analyzed. Through the self-designed simple asphalt heating-emission collection and detection device, the inhibition effect of different types of modifier combinations on VOCs in the asphalt emmissions was explored. Then, VOCs emission curves of modified asphalt at different temperatures were studied, and finally the basic physical properties of the environmentally friendly modified asphalt were tested. The test results showed that the optimal modifier combination was 5% activated carbon and 3% surfactant, in which the VOCs and the peak value of asphalt heating emissions were only 1385 min·ppm and 86 ppm, respectively, which represented the best VOCs suppression effect of other groups. At the same time, the modified asphalt with optimal additives improved the high-temperature performance of 70# base asphalt and did not affect the storage stability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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18 pages, 2769 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Behaviors, Interfacial Microstructure and Molecular Orientation of Shape Memory Polyurethane/SiO₂ Based Sealant for Concrete Pavement

by Shuang Shi, Tao Ma, Linhao Gu and Yanning Zhang

Polymers 2022, 14(16), 3336; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14163336 - 16 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1924

Abstract

Expansion joint failure is one of the main causes that lead to the damages of concrete pavement. The silicon dioxide/shape memory polyurethane (SiO₂/SMPU) is a new kind of sealant which can use its shape memory performance to adapt to the width of the expansion joint with the change of pavement temperature, and it can effectively prolong the service life of the pavement and reduce maintenance costs. In this study, the effects of programming and the addition of SiO₂ particles to the thermodynamic properties of the specimens were detected using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the optimal shape memory programming temperature of which is 72.9 °C. Combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and shape memory effect test, the particles are evenly distributed between the two phases, and the shape fixation rate (R_f) of 98.15% and the shape recovery rate (R_r) of 97.31% show that the composite has a good shape memory effect. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and dynamic infrared dichroism illustrate the change of the hydrogen bond of soft and hard segments with the SiO₂ particles in the shape memory cycle, revealing the optimal shape memory programming process. This study provides an insight into the reinforcement mechanism of SiO₂ nanoparticles in SMPU matrix and verify whether it can meet the engineering requirements of expansion joints when used as a sealant of concrete pavement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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20 pages, 7420 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rheological, Aging, and Microstructural Properties of Polycarbonate and Polytetrafluoroethylene Modified Bitumen

by Muhammad Ansar, Muhammad Ali Sikandar, Fadi Althoey, Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq, Saleh H. Alyami and Samah Elsayed Elkhatib

Polymers 2022, 14(16), 3283; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14163283 - 12 Aug 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2452

Abstract

Deterioration of asphalt pavements due to massive load of vehicles and climatic variation has demanded the use of pavements construction material with an excellent resilience characteristic, resistance to permanent deformation, and most importantly, a much longer service lifespan. The main structural distresses in pavement construction are permanent deformation at high temperatures and fatigue cracking under repetitive traffic loadings. To comprehensively investigate the performance of bitumen penetration grade (PG) 70 against rutting, fatigue, and high temperature cracking in hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavements, polycarbonate (PC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) were used. The investigation of the internal structure, rheological, and physical properties of base and modified bitumen (MB) mixes with different percentages of modifiers (0%, 2.5%, and 5%) by weight were performed via scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern analysis, rolling thin-film oven test (RTFOT), pressurized aging vessel (PAV), dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), rotational viscosity (RV), and bending beam rheometer (BBR). The results of the RV test indicate that modification of neat bitumen with polycarbonate and polytetrafluoroethylene increased the viscosity for polycarbonate-modified bitumen (PCMB), polytetrafluoroethylene-modified bitumen (PTFEMB), and for a blend of PCMB-PTFEMB by 44%, 50%, and 55.75% at 135 °C and 111.10%, 127.80%, and 138.88% at 165 °C, accordingly. BBR test results revealed that modifiers increased the rigidity of neat bitumen by 74.8%, 75.8%, and 74.5% at −16 °C, −22 °C, and −28 °C, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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19 pages, 9321 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation and Application of a Novel Slow-Releasing with Core-Shell Deicer in Asphalt Mixtures

by Yunxia Feng, Yuhong Luo, Junfeng Gao, Peng Guo, Yuntao Jiang and Fumao Liu

Polymers 2022, 14(13), 2615; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14132615 - 28 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2073

Abstract

The massive application of chloride salts has a direct effect on the corrosion of structures and vehicles and decreases durability as well as road pavement damage. A novel slow-release deicer with a core-shell structure was prepared to reduce the salts’ impacts, subsequently characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The conductivity evaluation, moisture absorption, and the snow or ice melting performance of the deicer were also tested. The core-shell deicer with different replacement rates was used to prepare the deicing asphalt mixture based on the equivalent volume replacement method. In this study, the high- and low-temperature performance, moisture damage resistance, and snow or ice melting capacity of mixtures were evaluated in the laboratory. The results show that the low-temperature and moisture stability performances decreased, and high-temperature performance improved, as the content of the core-shell deicer was increased. It is confirmed that the replacement rate of the deicer filler should be lower than 75% to meet the specification requirements. The prepared deicing asphalt mixture has good snow and ice melting performance and can reduce the bonding strength between ice and pavement surface. Durability and cost–benefit analysis are expected in further investigations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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19 pages, 5389 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Activation Modes on the Property Characterization of Crumb Rubber Powder from Waste Tires and Performance Analysis of Activated Rubber-Modified Asphalt Binder

by Honggang Zhang, Yangpeng Zhang, Jie Chen, Wenchang Liu and Wensheng Wang

Polymers 2022, 14(12), 2490; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14122490 - 19 Jun 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2418

Abstract

The rubber molecular chain in waste vulcanized tire rubber will be crosslinked to form a network structure that would be difficult to degrade in asphalt. Crumb rubber treated by desulfurization activation could form active groups on the surface by interrupting the crosslinking bond to improve the compatibility between crumb rubber powder and asphalt. To explore the influence of activation modes on crumb rubber powder and the corresponding rubber-modified asphalt binder, crumb rubber powder was firstly activated through three commonly used activation methods and asphalt binder samples modified by activated crumb rubber powder were also prepared. The basic properties of activated crumb rubber powder were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, and conventional tests were used to study the conventional physical properties of the asphalt binder. The infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis showed that the crumb rubber powder was mainly composed of alkanes, alkenes, sulfonic acids, aromatics, and a little silica rubber and antioxidant zinc oxide, which is suitable for asphalt modification. The simple heat activation treatment method is not enough to greatly destroy the cross-linking structure of crumb rubber powder, but the “C=C” bond was destroyed more seriously. Under the action of adjuvants, the polysulfide cross-linking bond could be broken in crumb rubber powder. The heat treatment and chemical treatment could not achieve the purpose of reducing the viscosity and improving the compatibility of rubber asphalt binder through desulfurization activation. The mechanochemical treatment would help to improve the performance of crumb-rubber-powder-modified asphalt binder. The data correlation analysis based on the grey relational degree can provide a reference for the selection of activated crumb rubber powder for different application requirements in the asphalt modification procedure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymers for Pavement Application)

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