High temperature rheological characteristics of plasma-treated crumb rubber modified binders. (10th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Jin; Xiao, Feipeng; Amirkhanian, Serji N.
• Is Part Of: Construction & building materials. Volume 236(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03-10
• Subjects: Cold plasma surface treatment -- Crumb rubber modified asphalt -- High temperature performance -- Statistical analysis -- Coupling effect; Building materials -- Periodicals; 624.18
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.117614
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-0618

Abstract

Highlights: Cold plasma treatment resulted in a significant enhancement of high temperature performances. The plasma-treated binders with -40 mesh crumb rubber were considered the most desirable. Plasma treatment somehow improved the thermal storage stability of modified binders. A strong relationship between rotational viscosity, test temperature and crumb rubber size. A short-term aging caused an improvement in both elasticity and viscosity of treated binders. Abstract: This study investigated the effect of cold plasma surface treatment of crumb rubber on the high temperature performances of CRM binders at unaged and RTFO-aged states, which were produced with two base asphalts and three crumb rubber sizes. The high temperature performance tests conducted on the rubberized binders included rotational viscosity, failure temperature, rutting factor, phase angle, storage modulus, and loss modulus at different temperatures. According to the result of performance tests and statistical analyses, cold plasma surface treatment on crumb rubber significantly enhanced the high temperature performances of CRM binders, regardless of base asphalt source, crumb rubber size and aging state. The effect of base asphalt source was mainly reflected in determining the high temperature performances of RTFO-aged binders. With respect to the crumb rubber size, the -40 mesh plasma-treated CRM binders were the most desirable. In addition, the RTFO aging caused an enhancement in elasticity and viscosity of plasma-treated CRM binders as expected. Finally, the Gray Relational Analysis (GRA) determined the coupling effect of these variables, indicating that cold plasma surface treatment of -40 mesh crumb rubber and base asphalt A was the most effective combination in terms of high temperature rheological properties of CRM binders.