Changes in Corbett Fraction Composition During Oxidation of Asphalt Fractions

Abstract

The naphthene aromatic (NA) fractions and polar aromatic (PA) fractions of five Strategic Highway Research Program asphalts (AAA-1, AAD-1, AAF-1, AAG-1, and AAM-1) along with six supercritical fractions of AAF-1 were subjected to oxidative aging. Asphaltenes and residual polar aromatics were recovered from the aged PA material. Produced asphaltenes and PAs and residual NAs were recovered from the aged NA samples. It was determined that NAs convert to PAs and subsequently become asphaltenes during oxidative aging of asphalt binders. However, within the extent of aging encountered in roadways, it is concluded that negligible asphaltenes are produced from NAs. Depending on the relative rates of oxidation of PAs and NAs, the content of PAs may either increase or decrease. Newly produced asphaltenes and PAs are smaller in molecular size than those present in the original whole asphalts. Also, the residual PAs in the aged PA fractions and the residual NAs in the aged NA fractions have smaller molecular size than those of the parent asphalts. The smaller molecular-sized material, whether PA or NA, is more slowly converted to asphaltenes or PAs, respectively. These data indicate that materials high in NAs and perhaps smaller PAs will harden very slowly in service.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Lin

M. S.

, Lunsford

K. M.

, Glover

C. J.

, Davison

R. R.

, and Bullin

J. A.

. The Effects of Asphaltenes on the Chemical and Physical Characteristics of Asphalts. In Asphaltenes: Fundamentals and Applications ( Sheu

E. Y.

and Mullins

O. C.

, eds.), Plenum Press, New York, 1995, pp. 155–176.

Lin

M. S.

, Chaffin

J. M.

, Liu

, Glover

C. J.

, Davison

R. R.

, and Bullin

J. A.

. The Effect of Asphalt Composition on the Formation of Asphaltenes and Their Contribution to Asphalt Viscosity. Fuel Science and Technology International, Vol. 14, Nos. 1 and 2, 1996, pp. 139–162.

Lin

M. S.

The Formation of Asphaltenes and Its Impact on the Chemical and Physical Properties of Asphalts. Ph.D. dissertation. Chemical Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, 1995.

Corbett

L. W.

Composition of Asphalt Based on Generic Fractionation, Using Solvent Deasphaltening, Elution-Adsorption Chromatography, and Densimetric Characterization. Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 41, 1969, pp. 576–579.

Corbett

L. W.

, and Swarbrick

R. E.

. Composition Analysis Used to Explore Asphalt Hardening. AAPT, Vol. 29, 1960, pp. 104–113.

Liu

, Lin

M. S.

, Chaffin

J. M.

, Davison

R. R.

, Glover

C. J.

, and Bullin

J. A.

. Compositional Optimization for a Superior Asphalt Binder. Petroleum Science and Technology International, Vol. 15, Nos. 1 and 2, 1997, pp. 471–493.

Corbett

L. W.

Reaction Variables in the Air Blowing of Asphalt. Industrial Engineering Chemistry Process Design and Development, Vol. 14, No. 2, 1975, pp. 181–187.

Corbett

L. W.

, and Merz

R. E.

. Asphalt Binder Hardening in the Michigan Test Road After 18 Years of Service. In Transportation Research Record 544, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1975, pp. 27–34.

Rostler

F. S.

, and White

R. M.

. Influence of Chemical Composition of Asphalts on Performance, Particularly Durability. Special Technical Publication 277, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, Pa., 1959, pp. 64–88.

10.

Rostler

F. S.

, and White

R. M.

. Composition and Change in Composition of Highway Asphalts, 85-100 Penetration Grade. Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists, Vol. 31, 1962, pp. 35–72.

11.

Choquest

F. S.

, and Verhasselt

A. F.

. Natural and Accelerated Aging of Bitumens: Effects of Asphaltene. In Asphaltene Particles in Fossil Fuel Exploration, Recovery, Refining, and Production Processes ( Sharma

M. K.

and Yen

T. F.

, eds.), Plenum Press, New York, 1994, p. 13.

12.

Glover

C. J.

, Bullin

J. A.

, Button

J. W.

, Davison

R. R.

, Donalson

G. R.

, and Hlavinka

M. W.

. Characterization of Asphalt Using Gel Permeation Chromatography and Other Methods. Research Report 419-1F. Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation, 1987.

13.

Peterson

G. D.

Relationship Between Composition and Performance of Asphalt Recycling Agents. Master’s thesis. Chemical Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, 1993.

14.

Burr

B. L.

, Davison

R. R.

, Jemison

H. B.

, Glover

C. J.

, and Bullin

J. A.

. Asphalt Hardening in Extraction Solvents. In Transportation Research Record 1323, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1991, pp. 70–76.

15.

Burr

B. L.

, Davison

R. R.

, Glover

C. J.

, and Bullin

J. A.

. Solvent Removal from Asphalt. In Transportation Research Record 1269, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1990, pp. 1–8.

16.

Stegeman

J. R.

, Kyle

A. L.

, Burr

B. L.

, Jemison

H. B.

, Davison

R. R.

, Glover

C. J.

, and Bullin

J. A.

. Compositional and Physical Properties of Asphalt Fractions Obtained by Supercritical Extraction. Fuel Science and Technology International, Vol. 10, 1992, pp. 767–794.

17.

Jemison

H. B.

, Davison

R. R.

, Glover

C. J.

, and Bullin

J. A.

. Fractionation of Asphalt Materials by Using Supercritical Cyclohexane and Pentane. Fuel Science and Technology International, Vol. 13, 1995, pp. 605–638.

18.

Chaffin

J. M.

, Liu

, Davison

R. R.

, Glover

C. J.

, and Bullin

J. A.

. Supercritical Fractions as Asphalt Recycling Agents and Preliminary Aging Studies on Recycled Asphalts. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 36, No. 3, 1997, pp. 656–666.

19.

Lau

C. K.

, Lunsford

K. M.

, Glover

C. J.

, Davison

R. R.

, and Bullin

J. A.

. Reaction Rates and Hardening Susceptibilities as Determined from POV Aging of Asphalts. In Transportation Research Record 1342, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1992, pp. 50–57.

20.

Davison

R. R.

, Glover

C. J.

, Burr

B. L.

, and Bullin

J. A.

. Size Exclusion Chromatography of Asphalts. In Handbook of Size Exclusion Chromatography ( Chi-San

, ed.), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1995, pp. 211–247.

21.

Bishara

S. W.

, and Wilkins

. Rapid Method for the Chemical Analysis of Asphalt Cement: Quantitative Determination of the Naphthene Aromatic and Polar Aromatic Fractions Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography. In Transportation Research Record 1228, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1990, pp. 183–190.