Concentration Preserving Deicing Solutions for Higher Ice Melting

Details

• Creators:
  Yellavajjala, Ravi Kiran ; Afgan, Sher ; Hesami, Maedeh ; Mahdi, Muhammad Rafiul
• Corporate Creators:
  Arizona State University ; North Dakota State University
• Corporate Contributors:
  Iowa Highway Research Board ; Iowa. Department of Transportation
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Absorbents Biobased Polyols Brines Chloride Chloride Content Corrosion Deicing Chemicals Deicing Solution Highway Safety Ice Ice Melting Melting Portland Cement Concrete Superabsorbent Polymers Temperature Points Traffic Lanes Winter Maintenance

  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  IHRB Project TR-814
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Iowa
• Edition:
  Final Report: 7/1/2023-12/30/2025
• Corporate Publisher:
  Iowa Department of Transportation
• Abstract:
  Chloride-based brine deicers are widely used to maintain winter roadway safety, but their performance drops in extreme cold as meltwater dilutes the brine, and their runoff accelerates concrete deterioration, rebar corrosion, and ecological harm. This report investigates sustainable, high-performance deicing formulations that enhance low-temperature ice melting while limiting infrastructure damage and preserving pavement friction. Both concentration-preserving and oversaturated deicing formulations have been considered. Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) and corn-derived polyols were used to prepare concentration-preserving and oversaturated deicing formulations, respectively. Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are introduced to brines to retain meltwater and sustain salt concentration at the ice–solution interface. Their swelling behavior is quantified using both bulk absorption tests and optical microscopy with 3D reconstruction of individual particles in distilled water and saline solution, revealing strong particle-size dependence and rapid uptake primarily within the first five minutes. Deicer performance is evaluated through freezing-point depression and ice-melting capacity tests at 0, −10, −20, and −30 °C using controlled laboratory setups. The results showed that adding 5% large-particle-sized SAPs increased ice-melting capacity by up to 80% compared to the brine solution at − 30°C. This improvement in ice-melting capacity occurred by preserving the salt concentration in the SAP-adsorbed water. Corn-derived polyol additives (erythritol and xylitol) are assessed in salt brines for freezing-point reduction and enhanced melting, achieving freezing points near −37.5 °C and improved ice-melting capacity at subzero temperatures relative to conventional brines. Skid resistance is evaluated using British Pendulum testing on asphalt and Portland cement concrete, showing negligible friction loss with optimized SAP brine formulations and comparable or slightly improved skid resistance with select polyol brine mixtures. Corrosion mitigation is evaluated for low-carbon, high-strength steel exposed to aggressive chloride environments using visual inspection and potentio-dynamic polarization tests. Polyols act as mixed-type inhibitors that adsorb onto steel surfaces, markedly reducing corrosion rates. Overall, the results demonstrate that tailoring the additive type, concentration, and SAP particle size can simultaneously improve extreme-cold deicing effectiveness, maintain skid resistance, and reduce chloride-driven corrosion.
• Format:
  PDF
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d9495308968669d93633a3181cd17de024213f8d2e56562d09fcb13ec8b0e796f320a2800f056aecf2988e8bc8dfdbe75b61554f50915feec6c81a834a8abcb3
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/90835/dot_90835_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 4.52 MB ]