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Recent Trends in Fluid Mechanics

Pickering asphalt-water emulsions stabilized by polystyrene nanoparticles obtained from recycled material

  1. Ana María Pineda-Reyes
  2. Néstor Mendoza-Muñoz
  3. Alicia Del Real López
  4. María de la Luz Zambrano-Zaragoza
  5. David Quintanar-Guerrero

Abstract

In recent years, emulsified asphalt has been found to offer numerous advantages over conventional asphalt. More recently still, emulsified asphalt stabilized with nanoparticles has emerged as an option for the construction field because this substance has many advantages over traditional emulsified asphalt, which is formulated with surfactants that tend to be less stable and more toxic. These new formulations are called Pickering emulsions. They can align with basic sustainability principles. Nanotechnology has gradually been integrated into the field of asphalt processing to make modified asphalt, asphalt mixtures, and other products. In this experiment, we obtained Pickering asphalt 2 emulsions stabilized with polystyrene nanoparticles that showed decreased asphalt globules size and asphalt globules size distribution at greater mixing times and higher temperatures of the aqueous phase. Our analysis of the physical stability of the emulsified asphalt showed compliance with norms on some standardized ASTM tests. In addition, the lack of coalescence after at least 60 days of storage could indicate good permanence over time. Scanning electron microscopy revealed surface-adsorbed polystyrene nanoparticles of asphalt globules. According to these results, special attention is being given to possible applications of these emulsions, perhaps as road surface binders or in waterproofing. These results also establish a solid basis for subsequent development and further research.

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