Bio-Utilisation
Bio-binder and/or Bio-rejuvenation technology uses biomass as source material for asphalt pavement binder and/or aged bitumen rejuvenator.
Bitumen has traditionally been used as a binder in asphalt mixes and is a product of crude oil. The production of crude oil is in decline and the environmental and financial costs of extraction are constantly increasing. There is a need to identify alternatives to bitumen, preferably cheap and sustainable alternatives. An asphalt binder generated from biological sources (Bio-binder) offer an environmentally friendly and economically viable alternative to asphalt bitumen.
Consideration has been given to plant-based alternatives to bitumen, using tall oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, used cooking oil, castor oil residues and organic oils. These products are generally mixtures of fatty acids (and esters). The addition of plant-based oil products as a rejuvenator result in a lower viscosity of the resultant binder blend. Several studies have highlighted that these rejuvenators can restore the original properties of bitumen, while also being eco-sustainable. Despite promising results from several studies using plant-based oils as rejuvenators diverting plants from potential food resources to asphalt production is unacceptable given the increased pressure on food resources globally.
Biomass is a promising alternative material source. It is a renewable bio-material source which can be linked to the circular economy whereby industrial by-products and secondary materials, can be used in an alternative bio-binder/rejuvenator production, such as: Waste Cooking Oil (WCO), Waste Water Leachate, Lignin, Swine Manure, Microalgae.
Bitumen has traditionally been used as a binder in asphalt mixes and is a product of crude oil. The production of crude oil is in decline and the environmental and financial costs of extraction are constantly increasing. There is a need to identify alternatives to bitumen, preferably cheap and sustainable alternatives. An asphalt binder generated from biological sources (Bio-binder) offer an environmentally friendly and economically viable alternative to asphalt bitumen.
Consideration has been given to plant-based alternatives to bitumen, using tall oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, used cooking oil, castor oil residues and organic oils. These products are generally mixtures of fatty acids (and esters). The addition of plant-based oil products as a rejuvenator result in a lower viscosity of the resultant binder blend. Several studies have highlighted that these rejuvenators can restore the original properties of bitumen, while also being eco-sustainable. Despite promising results from several studies using plant-based oils as rejuvenators diverting plants from potential food resources to asphalt production is unacceptable given the increased pressure on food resources globally.
Biomass is a promising alternative material source. It is a renewable bio-material source which can be linked to the circular economy whereby industrial by-products and secondary materials, can be used in an alternative bio-binder/rejuvenator production, such as: Waste Cooking Oil (WCO), Waste Water Leachate, Lignin, Swine Manure, Microalgae.