Hydrogen peroxide activation of waste tire crumb rubber for improving compatibility with bitumen: Laboratory and molecular dynamics insights

Enhancing rubber-bitumen compatibility is crucial to improve pavement performance and durability. To investigate the compatibility improvement between H2O2-activated waste crumb rubber (AWCR) and bitumen, coarse and fine waste crumb rubber (WCR) were treated and analyzed through multi-scale characte...

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Main Authors: Nie Tian, Piergiorgio Tataranni, Cesare Sangiorgi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Road Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2097049825000216
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author Nie Tian
Piergiorgio Tataranni
Cesare Sangiorgi
author_facet Nie Tian
Piergiorgio Tataranni
Cesare Sangiorgi
author_sort Nie Tian
collection DOAJ
description Enhancing rubber-bitumen compatibility is crucial to improve pavement performance and durability. To investigate the compatibility improvement between H2O2-activated waste crumb rubber (AWCR) and bitumen, coarse and fine waste crumb rubber (WCR) were treated and analyzed through multi-scale characterization and molecular simulation. Microstructure and chemical changes of WCR and AWCR were analyzed with scanning electron microscope (SEM), contact angle tests and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Compatibility was also indirectly evaluated through modified boiling tests and storage stability tests. Besides, molecular dynamics was used to explore the interaction between WCR/AWCR and bitumen. SEM, contact angle, and FTIR results showed bond breakage of CC and C–C and increased polar groups like –OH and –COOH in AWCR, resulting in a rougher texture and higher surface energy. Compared with WCR, AWCR showed a lower bitumen stripping rate after boiling, and the binder with AWCR also had a lower softening point difference and segregation rate after storage. Molecular dynamics simulations further confirmed that AWCR has a closer solubility parameter and higher binding energy to bitumen than WCR, reflected in a relatively slower diffusion rate. This study provides comprehensive evidence for an eco-friendly method of WCR surface treatment for more efficient recycling of tire rubber in asphalt pavements.
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publishDate 2025-06-01
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spelling doaj-art-71d3413ccda045df94749df1115150d12025-08-20T03:24:47ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Journal of Road Engineering2773-00772025-06-015224426010.1016/j.jreng.2024.12.004Hydrogen peroxide activation of waste tire crumb rubber for improving compatibility with bitumen: Laboratory and molecular dynamics insightsNie Tian0Piergiorgio Tataranni1Cesare Sangiorgi2Corresponding author.; Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Bologna 40131, ItalyDepartment of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Bologna 40131, ItalyDepartment of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Bologna 40131, ItalyEnhancing rubber-bitumen compatibility is crucial to improve pavement performance and durability. To investigate the compatibility improvement between H2O2-activated waste crumb rubber (AWCR) and bitumen, coarse and fine waste crumb rubber (WCR) were treated and analyzed through multi-scale characterization and molecular simulation. Microstructure and chemical changes of WCR and AWCR were analyzed with scanning electron microscope (SEM), contact angle tests and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Compatibility was also indirectly evaluated through modified boiling tests and storage stability tests. Besides, molecular dynamics was used to explore the interaction between WCR/AWCR and bitumen. SEM, contact angle, and FTIR results showed bond breakage of CC and C–C and increased polar groups like –OH and –COOH in AWCR, resulting in a rougher texture and higher surface energy. Compared with WCR, AWCR showed a lower bitumen stripping rate after boiling, and the binder with AWCR also had a lower softening point difference and segregation rate after storage. Molecular dynamics simulations further confirmed that AWCR has a closer solubility parameter and higher binding energy to bitumen than WCR, reflected in a relatively slower diffusion rate. This study provides comprehensive evidence for an eco-friendly method of WCR surface treatment for more efficient recycling of tire rubber in asphalt pavements.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2097049825000216Waste crumb rubberSurface treatmentHydrogen peroxideCompatibilityMolecular dynamicsAsphalt pavement
spellingShingle Nie Tian
Piergiorgio Tataranni
Cesare Sangiorgi
Hydrogen peroxide activation of waste tire crumb rubber for improving compatibility with bitumen: Laboratory and molecular dynamics insights
Journal of Road Engineering
Waste crumb rubber
Surface treatment
Hydrogen peroxide
Compatibility
Molecular dynamics
Asphalt pavement
title Hydrogen peroxide activation of waste tire crumb rubber for improving compatibility with bitumen: Laboratory and molecular dynamics insights
title_full Hydrogen peroxide activation of waste tire crumb rubber for improving compatibility with bitumen: Laboratory and molecular dynamics insights
title_fullStr Hydrogen peroxide activation of waste tire crumb rubber for improving compatibility with bitumen: Laboratory and molecular dynamics insights
title_full_unstemmed Hydrogen peroxide activation of waste tire crumb rubber for improving compatibility with bitumen: Laboratory and molecular dynamics insights
title_short Hydrogen peroxide activation of waste tire crumb rubber for improving compatibility with bitumen: Laboratory and molecular dynamics insights
title_sort hydrogen peroxide activation of waste tire crumb rubber for improving compatibility with bitumen laboratory and molecular dynamics insights
topic Waste crumb rubber
Surface treatment
Hydrogen peroxide
Compatibility
Molecular dynamics
Asphalt pavement
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2097049825000216
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AT piergiorgiotataranni hydrogenperoxideactivationofwastetirecrumbrubberforimprovingcompatibilitywithbitumenlaboratoryandmoleculardynamicsinsights
AT cesaresangiorgi hydrogenperoxideactivationofwastetirecrumbrubberforimprovingcompatibilitywithbitumenlaboratoryandmoleculardynamicsinsights