Developing a novel sustainable and durable self-luminous pavement material with solar energy absorption capability

Abstract

Self-luminous pavement materials can autonomously absorb solar energy and emit light at night, offering a novel approach to improving nighttime road visibility and reducing energy consumption. Despite their potential, current self-luminous pavement coatings face challenges related to insufficient durability and anti-skid properties. To address this, this paper aims to develop a novel sustainable and durable self-luminous pavement material and thin layer. The development involved optimizing high-transparency epoxy resin based on mechanical properties and ultraviolet aging resistance, as well as selecting long afterglow materials based on luminous performance. Subsequently, a novel self-luminous pavement thin layer, comprising an anti-skid layer, a bonding layer, a self-luminous layer, and a sub-bonding layer, was proposed and tested. The results indicate that this novel self-luminous thin layer maintains a brightness level of 4–6 mcd/m2 after 6 h of light emission, which is still a bright level for the human eye. Additionally, it shows robust performance against ultraviolet aging, water damage, and long-term abrasion. The material cost of this thin layer is approximately 32.00 USD/m2, offering an economic advantage over mixture and pouring-in type, and it also provides benefits such as energy savings, improved traffic safety, and enhanced aesthetic appeal of scenic roads. Future efforts should focus on analyzing the economic benefits of these functions to better understand the full lifecycle advantages of this innovative material. In general, the novel durable self-luminous thin layer proposed in this study provides a practical and sustainable solution for self-luminous pavements.