Storage stability and rheological properties of asphalt modified with waste packaging polyethylene and organic montmorillonite

Abstract

In this paper, asphalt was modified using waste packaging polyethylene (WPE) and organic montmorillonite (OMt) and the storage stability and rheological properties of the resulting material were investigated. Simultaneously, the structure and morphology were also studied in an attempt to explain the changes in the material properties. The results showed that the addition of OMt improved the storage stability of WPE modified asphalt, but does not compromise its excellent high temperature rheological properties. Fluorescence microscopic images of the material revealed that the OMt slenderized and orientated the WPE micro-fibers promoting improved dispersion of the WPE in the base asphalt. Exfoliated OMt layers in the asphalt played a key role in the WPE microfibers' orientation and promoted its uniform distribution in the asphalt. In addition, scanning electron microscopic images showed the potential low temperature properties advantages of WPE modified asphalt.