Molecular Components and Molecular Modelling for Asphalt: A Review

Abstract Asphalt is a complex, heterogeneous organic mixture increasingly used in modern pavement. With the rising traffic load and sustainable strategies, developing high‐performance asphalt materials becomes crucial, which relies on the understanding of the relationship between the physical chemic...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhijin Wang, Yuanbin Zhou, Jiandong Zhang, Xinlv Ji, Haifei Zhan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-VCH 2025-04-01
Series:Advanced Physics Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/apxr.202400128
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849729644193906688
author Zhijin Wang
Yuanbin Zhou
Jiandong Zhang
Xinlv Ji
Haifei Zhan
author_facet Zhijin Wang
Yuanbin Zhou
Jiandong Zhang
Xinlv Ji
Haifei Zhan
author_sort Zhijin Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Asphalt is a complex, heterogeneous organic mixture increasingly used in modern pavement. With the rising traffic load and sustainable strategies, developing high‐performance asphalt materials becomes crucial, which relies on the understanding of the relationship between the physical chemical properties of asphalt and its constituent molecular components. This work aims to review the progress on the identification of asphalt molecular components, as well as different types of molecules being employed in various molecular dynamics simulations to assess the physical properties of asphalt. The state‐of‐the‐art techniques for the separation of molecular components for asphalt materials are first introduced, followed by common characterization techniques for asphalt molecules and microstructural features, which serve as the foundations for molecular modeling for asphalt materials. Various asphalt molecular models being employed in molecular dynamics simulations are summarised, covering pristine asphalt, modified asphalt, and aged asphalt. Different factors that impact the physical properties of asphalt as uncovered from these simulations are also discussed. This work provides a comprehensive overview on the molecular components of asphalt and the corresponding modeling as atomistic scale, which can guide the preparation of asphalt materials with on‐demand properties for sustainable development.
format Article
id doaj-art-2d25ebdf73f644f1aaf83d3e29579e21
institution DOAJ
issn 2751-1200
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Wiley-VCH
record_format Article
series Advanced Physics Research
spelling doaj-art-2d25ebdf73f644f1aaf83d3e29579e212025-08-20T03:09:09ZengWiley-VCHAdvanced Physics Research2751-12002025-04-0144n/an/a10.1002/apxr.202400128Molecular Components and Molecular Modelling for Asphalt: A ReviewZhijin Wang0Yuanbin Zhou1Jiandong Zhang2Xinlv Ji3Haifei Zhan4Zhejiang Hongtu Traffic Construction Co., Ltd. Hangzhou 310052 ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 ChinaAbstract Asphalt is a complex, heterogeneous organic mixture increasingly used in modern pavement. With the rising traffic load and sustainable strategies, developing high‐performance asphalt materials becomes crucial, which relies on the understanding of the relationship between the physical chemical properties of asphalt and its constituent molecular components. This work aims to review the progress on the identification of asphalt molecular components, as well as different types of molecules being employed in various molecular dynamics simulations to assess the physical properties of asphalt. The state‐of‐the‐art techniques for the separation of molecular components for asphalt materials are first introduced, followed by common characterization techniques for asphalt molecules and microstructural features, which serve as the foundations for molecular modeling for asphalt materials. Various asphalt molecular models being employed in molecular dynamics simulations are summarised, covering pristine asphalt, modified asphalt, and aged asphalt. Different factors that impact the physical properties of asphalt as uncovered from these simulations are also discussed. This work provides a comprehensive overview on the molecular components of asphalt and the corresponding modeling as atomistic scale, which can guide the preparation of asphalt materials with on‐demand properties for sustainable development.https://doi.org/10.1002/apxr.202400128asphaltmolecular separationmolecular characterizationmolecular dynamics simulation
spellingShingle Zhijin Wang
Yuanbin Zhou
Jiandong Zhang
Xinlv Ji
Haifei Zhan
Molecular Components and Molecular Modelling for Asphalt: A Review
Advanced Physics Research
asphalt
molecular separation
molecular characterization
molecular dynamics simulation
title Molecular Components and Molecular Modelling for Asphalt: A Review
title_full Molecular Components and Molecular Modelling for Asphalt: A Review
title_fullStr Molecular Components and Molecular Modelling for Asphalt: A Review
title_full_unstemmed Molecular Components and Molecular Modelling for Asphalt: A Review
title_short Molecular Components and Molecular Modelling for Asphalt: A Review
title_sort molecular components and molecular modelling for asphalt a review
topic asphalt
molecular separation
molecular characterization
molecular dynamics simulation
url https://doi.org/10.1002/apxr.202400128
work_keys_str_mv AT zhijinwang molecularcomponentsandmolecularmodellingforasphaltareview
AT yuanbinzhou molecularcomponentsandmolecularmodellingforasphaltareview
AT jiandongzhang molecularcomponentsandmolecularmodellingforasphaltareview
AT xinlvji molecularcomponentsandmolecularmodellingforasphaltareview
AT haifeizhan molecularcomponentsandmolecularmodellingforasphaltareview