United States Department of Transportation
i
Electrospun Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate Microfibers as an Asphalt Binder Modifier
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2024-09-01
[PDF-11.55 MB]
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Edition:Final Report
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Abstract:Fibers are used in an asphalt mix to improve its durability and resistance against distresses, such as rutting and cracking. Consequently, accurate rheological and performance characterization of asphalt binders and mixes containing fibers is of vital importance. With increased concerns over the environmental disruptions resulting from disposing of end-of-life plastics in landfills and the need to improve the sustainability of construction materials, incorporating plastic in construction materials has always been considered an effective method for recycling and reducing waste sent to landfills. In this study, the end-of-life polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic obtained from bottled water containers was used to produce PET microfibers using the electrospinning technique. The electrospun PET microfibers (EPM) produced through various PET concentrations in electrospinning solutions were used as an asphalt additive. It was found that adding EPM to asphalt mixes improved their resistance to rutting, moisture-induced damage, and cracking compared to mixes that did not contain any EPM. At the asphalt binder level, an increase in EPM content resulted in an improvement in the binder's hightemperature PG grade, while different variations were observed in its low-temperature grade, depending on the EPM content. Overall, it was concluded that incorporating EPM in asphalt mixes can potentially be a feasible approach to reduce plastic landfills and improve the performance and sustainability of the ground transportation system.
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