Differential Scanning Calorimetry Study of Asphalt Binders

摘要

The report examines the use of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) forstudying the thermal properties and behaviors of asphalt. DSC provides parameters for comparing the: glass transition temperatures, endothermic behavior of asphalt fractions and whole asphalts; aging, slow cooling and heat rate effects of eight SHRP core asphalts and several other asphalts. Analysis of the Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) fraction's DSC results show that the higher the molecular weight of the No. 1 fraction, the smaller the endothermic peak will be. This fraction is believed to be influenced by the high percentage of polycyclic aromatics in the asphalts. Analysis based on DSC results, composition data and molecular weight data for SEC and Ion Exchange chromatography (IEC) neutral fractions suggests that the average linear side chain length may be a key parameter affecting endothermic behavior.