Modified Bitumen
Bitumen can be defined as a substance with a dark brownish black color, the composition of which mainly includes malts and asphaltenes.
One of the applications of bituminous adhesives is in the preparation of asphalt. In general, an adhesive should be flexible enough to withstand permanent deformation and not flow at high temperatures.
In order to achieve suitable mechanical properties, bitumen modifying polymer is used to change their natural rheological properties.
Extensive use of plastics and rubber in various sectors such as industry, agriculture and even in everyday life leads to high polymer wastes and significant environmental problems.
In order to solve this problem, new ways were explored. Therefore, from an economic and environmental point of view, it is economical to use waste polymers as bitumen-modifying polymers, so that the properties of modified bitumen polymers of waste are similar to the properties of modified bitumen with first-hand polymers.
We generally consider two categories of waste polymers:
1- Thermoplastic waste polymers
2- Thermosetting waste polymers
Here we focus on the best materials for bitumen modification and these are the materials that can improve the mechanical properties of bitumen. Therefore, various thermoplastic recycled polymers have been successfully used as bitumen modifying polymers to modify the properties of bitumen for use in asphalt.
Addition of such polymers to bitumen leads to improved thermomechanical strength. Polypropylene and EVA also increase the elasticity and adhesion of bitumen.
In relation to waste polymers (rubber powder from waste tires), CTR thermosetting is the best example of this model.
Westheimer Polymer (Polyoctenamer) as a polymer additive is only in combination with rubber powder. Rubber powder with polymer. This polymer facilitates asphalt correction with rubber powder.
This Westheimer Polymer is a suitable alternative to other bitumen and asphalt modifiers such as SBS can be added to asphalt in wet or dry method.