Extraction and Characterisation of Maltene from Virgin Asphalt as a Potential Rejuvenating Agent

Zaid Hazim Al-Saffar (), Haryati Yaacob, Mohammed S. Al Jawahery, Salim T. Yousif, Mohd Khairul Idham Mohd Satar, Ramadhansyah Putra Jaya (), Hassanain Radhi Radeef, Ahmed Salama Eltwati and Ekarizan Shaffie
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Zaid Hazim Al-Saffar: Department of Construction Engineering and Projects Management, Al-Noor University College, Nineveh 41012, Iraq
Haryati Yaacob: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor 81310, Malaysia
Mohammed S. Al Jawahery: Highways and Bridges Engineering Department, Technical College of Engineering, Duhok Polytechnic University, Duhok 42001, Iraq
Salim T. Yousif: Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Nawroz University, Kurdistan 42001, Iraq
Mohd Khairul Idham Mohd Satar: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor 81310, Malaysia
Ramadhansyah Putra Jaya: Faculty of Civil Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Kuantan 26300, Malaysia
Hassanain Radhi Radeef: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor 81310, Malaysia
Ahmed Salama Eltwati: Department of civil Engineering, University of Benghazi, Benghazi 12345, Libya
Ekarizan Shaffie: Institute for Infrastructure Engineering and Sustainable Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam 40450, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-16

Abstract: The wide application of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is hindered due to the highly brittle nature of the material, which contributes a major factor towards cracking-related distresses. While the utilisation of rejuvenating agents has been shown to enhance the flexibility of RAP, they also trigger certain negative effects on the performance of asphalt mixtures. In view of this, potential rejuvenators should be able to alter the rheological properties of asphalts to limit fatigue issues and enhance the potential of low-temperature cracking. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the possibility of extraction and characterisation of maltene from virgin asphalt (VA) as a potential rejuvenating agent in RAP. Several physicochemical characteristics were examined, including density, viscosity, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, CHNS elemental analysis, and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. Finally, the stiffness modulus characteristics of the different types of asphalt binders were evaluated at low and high temperatures. The results demonstrated that maltene was successfully extracted from VA using petroleum ether. In addition, the GC–MS showed that the extracted maltene contained polar and non-polar compounds with low molecular weights compared to VA. Furthermore, the spectra curve of maltene was very similar to that of asphalt, indicating its compatibility with asphalt binder and prospective use. Finally, adding maltene to aged asphalt decreased stiffness values to 0.0063, 0.0499, and 0.0108 MPa, which are equivalent to VA values (0.0061, 0.0481, and 0.0104 MPa) at loading times of 1.0, 0.1, and 0.55 s, respectively. Meanwhile, the stiffness modulus characteristics at low temperature were restored with the addition of maltene.

Keywords: maltene; asphaltene; rejuvenating agent; compatibility; solvent extraction; stiffness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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