Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Study on curing kinetics of epoxy system and DFT simulation

  • Published:
Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Epoxy asphalt has emerged as a high-performance pavement material. However, research on its curing mechanism and kinetics remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the kinetic equation of the epoxy asphalt curing system using non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry for better understanding and prediction of the curing reaction. The results revealed that the epoxy asphalt system in this study is autocatalytic, with the conversion rate increasing as the heating rate rises. Additionally, this research employed Density Function Theory to simulate the surface electrostatic potential distribution of the curing agent and epoxy resin in epoxy asphalt. This approach identified potential active sites for chemical reactions, confirming the likelihood of a cross-linking reaction between carbon–carbon double bonds in the oleylamine curing agent. This cross-linking reaction contributes to the formation of a network structure in the cured epoxy resin system, resulting in superior mechanical properties for the cured epoxy asphalt. The study utilized transition state theory to simulate the ring-opening reaction between the primary amine group in oleylamine and epoxy resin. Finally, the above conclusions were verified using in situ infrared spectroscopy, and the microstructure of the epoxy asphalt at different curing times was observed using in situ fluorescence microscopy. In conclusion, this research provides valuable insights into the curing mechanism and kinetics of epoxy asphalt, offering guidance for future applications and development in the field of pavement materials.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

All data to reproduce the findings in this study will be available upon request to the corresponding author.

References

  1. Sha A, Liu Z, Jiang W, Qi L, Hu L, Jiao W, et al. Advances and development trends in eco-friendly pavements. J Road Eng. 2021;1:1–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Yousefi A, Behnood A, Nowruzi A, Haghshenas H. Performance evaluation of asphalt mixtures containing warm mix asphalt (WMA) additives and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Constr Build Mater. 2021;268: 121200.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Xie H, Li C, Wang Q. A critical review on performance and phase separation of thermosetting epoxy asphalt binders and bond coats. Constr Build Mater. 2022;326: 126792.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Yi X, Chen H, Wang H, Shi C, Yang J. The feasibility of using epoxy asphalt to recycle a mixture containing 100% reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Constr Build Mater. 2022;319: 126122.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Li C, Gong J, Zhao R, Xi Z, Wang Q, Xie H. Laboratory performance of recycled polyethylene modified epoxy asphalt binders. Int J Pavement Eng. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2022.2101055.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Zhang F, Zhang L, Muhammad Y, Cai Z, Guo X, Guo Y, et al. Study on preparation and properties of new thermosetting epoxy asphalt. Constr Build Mater. 2021;311: 125307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.125307.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Chen Y, Hossiney N, Yang X, Wang H, You Z. Application of epoxy-asphalt composite in asphalt paving industry: A review with emphasis on physicochemical properties and pavement performances. Adv Mater Sci Eng. 2021;2021:1–35.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Zhang L, Zhang F, Huang K, Zhou S, Guo Y. Preparation and performance of graphene nanoplatelets-modified epoxy asphalt. J Perform Constr Facil. 2021;35(6):04021083.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Min Z, Wang Q, Xie Y, Xie J, Zhang B. Influence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) chain on the performance of epoxy asphalt binder and mixture. Constr Build Mater. 2021;272: 121614.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Huang W, Qian Z, Chen G, Yang J. Epoxy asphalt concrete paving on the deck of long-span steel bridges. Chin Sci Bull. 2003;48(21):2391–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Liu X, Zhou C, Cao Q, Chen L, Feng D. Experimental study on properties of epoxy binder and epoxy bonding chips layer for steel bridge deck pavement. Road Mater Pavement Design. 2021;23(11):2451–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Yin C, Zhang H, Pan Y. Cracking mechanism and repair techniques of epoxy asphalt on steel bridge deck pavement. Transp Res Rec. 2016;2550(1):123–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Huang W, Guo W, Wei Y. Thermal effect on rheological properties of epoxy asphalt mixture and stress prediction for bridge deck paving. J Mater Civ Eng. 2019;31(10):04019222.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lv Q, Huang M, Huang WD. A conception of application epoxy asphalt mixture on airport pavement. Adv Mater Res. 2014;838:1240–4.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Jamshidi A, White G, Kurumisawa K. Functional and field performance of epoxy asphalt technology–state-of-the-art. Road Mater Pavement Design. 2023;24(4):881–918.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Jamshidi A, White G, Kurumisawa K. Rheological characteristics of epoxy asphalt binders and engineering properties of epoxy asphalt mixtures–state-of-the-art. Road Mater Pavement Design. 2022;23(9):1957–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Xin J, Li M, Li R, Wolcott MP, Zhang J. Green epoxy resin system based on lignin and tung oil and its application in epoxy asphalt. ACS Sustain Chem Eng. 2016;4(5):2754–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Ding J, Peng W, Luo T, Yu H. Study on the curing reaction kinetics of a novel epoxy system. RSC Adv. 2017;7(12):6981–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. El Sawi I, Olivier PA, Demont P, Bougherara H. Investigation of the effect of double-walled carbon nanotubes on the curing reaction kinetics and shear flow of an epoxy resin. J Appl Polym Sci. 2012;126(1):358–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Xia W, Wang S, Wang H, Xu T. Thermal effects of asphalt SARA fractions, kinetic parameter calculation using isoconversional method and distribution models. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2021;146:1577–92.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Tziamtzi CK, Chrissafis K. Optimization of a commercial epoxy curing cycle via DSC data kinetics modelling and TTT plot construction. Polymer. 2021;230: 124091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2021.124091.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Li H, Wei W, Zhang C, Xu F, Li X, Jing P, et al. Hot mixing behavior and curing process of epoxy asphalt. J Wuhan Univ Technol-Mater Sci Ed. 2020;35(3):605–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Xia W, Xu T. Thermal characteristics, kinetic models, and volatile constituents during the energy conversion of bituminous SARA fractions in air. ACS Omega. 2020;5(33):20831–41.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Roşu D, Caşcaval C, Mustątǎ F, Ciobanu C. Cure kinetics of epoxy resins studied by non-isothermal DSC data. Thermochim Acta. 2002;383(1–2):119–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Li B, Chen G, Zhang H, Sheng C. Development of non-isothermal TGA–DSC for kinetics analysis of low temperature coal oxidation prior to ignition. Fuel. 2014;118:385–91.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Sun H, Liu Y, Wang Y, Tan H. Curing behavior of epoxy resins in two-stage curing process by non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry kinetics method. J Appl Polym Sci. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1002/app.40711.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Hardis R, Jessop JLP, Peters FE, Kessler MR. Cure kinetics characterization and monitoring of an epoxy resin using DSC, Raman spectroscopy, and DEA. Compos A Appl Sci Manuf. 2013;49:100–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2013.01.021.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Domínguez JC, Grivel JC, Madsen B. Study on the non-isothermal curing kinetics of a polyfurfuryl alcohol bioresin by DSC using different amounts of catalyst. Thermochim Acta. 2012;529:29–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tca.2011.11.018.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Spackman MA, McKinnon JJ, Jayatilaka D. Electrostatic potentials mapped on Hirshfeld surfaces provide direct insight into intermolecular interactions in crystals. Cryst Eng Comm. 2008;10(4):377–88.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Yin H, Jin H, Wang C, Sun Y, Yuan Z, Xie H, et al. Thermal, damping, and mechanical properties of thermosetting epoxy-modified asphalts. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2014;115(2):1073–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Frisch M, Trucks G, Schlegel H, Scuseria G, Robb M, Cheeseman J et al. Gaussian 09, Revis. B. 01, Gaussian. Inc, Wallingford CT. 2009:1–20.

  32. Lu T, Chen F. Multiwfn: a multifunctional wavefunction analyzer. J Comput Chem. 2012;33(5):580–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Humphrey W, Dalke A, Schulten K. VMD: visual molecular dynamics. J Mol Graph. 1996;14(1):33–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Wang K, Yuan Y, Han S, Yang H. Application of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and principal component analysis (PCA) for quick identifying of the bitumen produced by different manufacturers. Road Mater Pavement Design. 2018;19(8):1940–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Tang W, Liu Y, Zhang H, Wang C. New approximate formula for Arrhenius temperature integral. Thermochim Acta. 2003;408(1–2):39–43.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude for the support from National Natural Science Foundation of China (52078241) (Research on the Interfacial Microstructure and Bonding Failure Mechanism of Cement-asphalt Composite, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51778142), CCCC Highway Consultants Co., Ltd. (H202010511) (Research on Key Technologies of Advanced Nano Modified Epoxy Asphalt and Its Pavement Performance).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Fenglei Zhang and Lei Zhang have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Intelligent Transportation System Research Center, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China

    Fenglei Zhang & Lei Zhang

  2. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China

    Xiaoxuan Guo, Zhenyu Cai & Kai Huang

Authors
  1. Fenglei Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lei Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xiaoxuan Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhenyu Cai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Kai Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

FZ and XG contributed to conceptualization, methodology, and writing—original draft. ZC contributed to writing—review and editing. LZ contributed to writing—review and editing. KH contributed to writing—review and editing.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Lei Zhang or Kai Huang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, F., Zhang, L., Guo, X. et al. Study on curing kinetics of epoxy system and DFT simulation. J Therm Anal Calorim 148, 11069–11079 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-023-12401-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-023-12401-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation