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Laboratory investigation of the properties of epoxy asphalt rubber (EAR)

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Abstract

Crumb rubber is preliminarily mixed with asphalt in wet process to produce ductile and elastic asphalt rubber (AR), which has been extensively used in high performance bituminous mixtures for road pavement. Epoxy asphalt is a thermosetting polymer modified asphalt with excellent performance and has been widely applied on the pavement of steel bridge decks. Epoxy asphalt rubber (EAR) was prepared by mixing AR with the epoxy (EP). The effect of AR concentration on the phase-separated morphology, viscosity, thermal stability and mechanical properties of the neat EP were compared with that of asphalt. Laser scanning confocal microscopy observations revealed that AR particles disperse in the continuous epoxy phase with co-continuous phase-separated structures in EARs with 40 and 50 wt% AR. However, the phase inverts to continuous asphalt structures with dispersed spherical and co-continuous epoxy phase as AR concentration reaches 60 wt%. The addition of AR increases the viscosity of the neat EP. The thermal stability of the neat EP is improved with the incorporation of AR. The presence of AR decreases the tensile strength of the neat EP, while the elongation at break of the neat EP increases with the increase of AR concentration. The viscosity and mechanical properties of EAR with 50 wt% AR completely satisfy the technical requirement of hot-mix epoxy asphalt binder for steel bridge deck pavements.

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Funding

This study was funded by the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (PCSIRT) and Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MOE Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Ya Liu & Hongfeng Xie

  2. Experimental Chemistry Teaching Center, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Zhonghua Xi

  3. Public Instrument Center, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Jun Cai

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  1. Ya Liu
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  4. Hongfeng Xie
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Correspondence to Hongfeng Xie.

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Liu, Y., Xi, Z., Cai, J. et al. Laboratory investigation of the properties of epoxy asphalt rubber (EAR). Mater Struct 50, 219 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-017-1089-4

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