A group of researchers along with two Iranian researchers in a new study showed that using pyrogenic silica nanoparticles can improve the performance of hot asphalt mix to have a longer life on the road.
Hot asphalt mix (WMA) has attracted attention in the asphalt industry as an environmentally friendly and sustainable option. The hot asphalt mixture reduces energy consumption and at the same time has the amount of water vapor and greenhouse gas emissions during the asphalt mixing process compared to current samples. However, high humidity and aging of the asphalt make WMA shorter on the road.
A team of researchers at the University of Swansea in the UK and the Technical University of Braunschweig in collaboration with Goshtasb Cheraghian and Sajjad Kian have identified the ability of pyrogenic silica nanoparticles (FSN) to be used as an anti-aging adhesive that not only helps reduce temperature but also It largely overcomes the limitations of moisture sensitivity.
“The forthcoming research will cover the gaps in WMA technology,” said Goshtasb Cheraghian, lead researcher at the University of Braunschweig. Large-scale FSNs, as a cost-effective, non-toxic material, are an ideal option that can have a major impact on asphalt protection in WMA technology. In addition, our findings on the concept of molecular interaction between nanoparticles and asphalt binders could open up new avenues for the use of nanotechnology in asphalt engineering.
Sajjad Kian, another author of this study, says: “In the future, using this method, asphalts can be developed that have a longer life on the roads by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”