Abstract
Disposable medical masks (DMM) are a necessity for epidemic prevention, but massive waste DMM have caused serious environmental issues globally, posing potential pollutions in soil and water resources. This study aims to utilize waste DMM as modifier to prepare durable modified asphalt. The chemical composition of the waste DMM was identified by infrared spectrum. Then the waste DMM were used to modify base asphalt and their physical properties, rheological behaviors and low temperature cracking resistance were investigated. Moreover, the modification mechanism, thermal stability and morphology of waste DMM modified asphalt were analyzed by FTIR, TGA and Fluorescence Microscope (FM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). In addition, the prepared DMM fiber was used as an additive of asphalt mixture, and its influence on the road performance of asphalt mixture was investigated. The results indicated that incorporating waste DMM elevated the complex modulus, rotational viscosity, tensile elongation and decrease the phase angle of base asphalt, resulting in an enhancement effect on its high and low temperature performance. The modification process of waste DMM with a chemical composition of polypropylene was mainly a physical blend. DMM fluctuated little on the thermal stability of asphalt. Waste DMM and asphalt demonstrated superior compatibility based on the results of microscopic analysis. The addition of DMM could improve the moisture susceptibility, rutting resistance and cracking resistance of asphalt mixture. Overall, waste DMM can be recycled to modify asphalt in road construction.
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