Structural characteristics of peat bitumen and peat/petroleum bitumen blends, and consideration of their potential use as road binder materials

Abstract

Bitumen derived from peat was blended with petroleum bitumen and subjected to laboratory evaluation for use as road binder material. Standard empirical procedures used included penetration, softening point and Fraass brittle point determinations. Rheological behaviour has been assessed at low shear rate using a sliding plate microviscometer and at high shear rate using a cone and plate instrument. Thermal analysis techniques including calorimetry and dielectric thermal analysis have been used to obtain fundamental structural information. Properties have also been measured after accelerated ageing. Peat bitumen is shown to differ significantly from petroleum bitumen in having a relatively high (30%) crystal content; however, as crystal melting commences below 20 ° C, the initial effect obtained in blending with petroleum bitumen is that of a plasticizer, reducing blend viscosity and increasing penetration. Crystallinity in the blends is lower than expected and this is ascribed to diffusional control of the crystallization process. Peat bitumens show a marked propensity to harden on heating, presumably due to condensation reactions increasing molecular weight, and this more than compensates for the plasticizing effect. The results suggest that age hardening will limit technically useful blends to a maximum of 17% wt/wt peat bitumen.